Margie Dierkhising

Cold Spring
May 30th 1927 - April 2020

Margie was born in St. Martin, MN to Henry and Mary (Meyer) Thelen on May 30th 1927. Growing up on the “home place”, she worked in the family businesses cleaning at the St. Martin Garage, and driving the delivery truck for the family dairy business, delivering milk, cream, and butter in and around St. Martin. She cared for the cows and pigs and chickens and had a love of animals her whole life.

She had a strong sense of family. Margie spent a lot of time with her maternal grandfather, translating for him news and radio programs from English to German.

Margie was a fast learner, and had a memory like a steel trap. The time spent with her mother cooking and sewing and quilting led to perhaps her greatest attribute. They would talk of their German roots and the many branches that grew from their family tree. Margie had a map in her head that allowed her to go forward and back in time, tracing family lineage through the generations. Not only did she know the origins and order of her family, but also those of many other Stearns County families. She never forgot a birthday or anniversary. Her knowledge was instrumental in the writing and publishing of the tome of her family’s history. It also led directly to the Thelen family sesquicentennial celebration in 2012.

Her Catholic faith was extremely important to her. She acknowledged all Holy Days, and believed strongly in “the power of prayer” and attended mass regularly.

Margie married Martin Dierkhising on October 12th, 1948 in St. Martin. They made their home in Cold Spring. She was a devoted and loving wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother.

She enjoyed quilting, playing cards, flowers, watching wildlife and the Minnesota Twins. She was a water aerobics instructor at the AmericInn for many years. She was a member of the Christian Mothers and the American Legion Auxiliary. She also volunteered for the local bloodmobile for many years.

Margie is survived by her children Joanne (Val) Bednarski of Ramsey; Paul (Sue) of St. Cloud; Mary Kay Zwack of Minneapolis; Kevin (Debbi) of Cold Spring; John (Janet) of Cold Spring; 9 grandchildren; 8 great grandchildren, brother Ossie Thelen of St. Joseph, sisters-in-law Fran
Thelen and Alvina Dierkhising and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Martin (2010); siblings Valerius, Martin, Elizabeth Dold and Otto.

Margie’s family would like to thank the Assumption Campus for the love and care they gave her.

Mach’s Gut

Arrangements By Wenner Funeral Home.