Magdalena Hepperle

Funeral Service for Magdalena "Maggie" Hepperle, 100, of Baker, Montana will be 10:00 a. m. Monday, July 28, 2008 at First Baptist Church in Baker, MT with Pastor Levi Durfey officiating. Interment will follow in the family lot in the Community Union Cemetery at Plevna, MT.

Visitation will be 3:00 p. m. to 9:00 p. m. Sunday, July 27th at Stevenson Funeral Home in Baker.

Maggie passed away on Thursday, July 24, 2008 at Fallon Medical Complex in Baker, MT surrounded by her children.

Magdalena "Maggie" Hepperle was born on May 12, 1908 to Johann and Magdalena (Schaefer) Krueg at Artas, SD. At a young age she moved with her parents to a homestead south of Plevna, MT. After the death of her father in the flu epidemic of 1918, she, her mother and sisters moved into Plevna. As the oldest child in the family, she was expected to help with the family income by hiring out for $1. 00 a week working for various farm families. She cooked, milked cows, and worked in the fields which included driving a team to haul grain. On November 14, 1926, at the age of eighteen, she married Henry Hepperle. They farmed south of Plevna on the homestead her father established as well as other farms. In 1941, they purchased a farm northeast of Baker, MT. In 1954, they sold the farm and moved into Baker. They purchased the Lakeside Hotel in 1965, which Maggie continued to operate after the death of her husband in 1970. She sold the hotel to her oldest daughter and son-in-law in 1973. Maggie?s life centered around caring for her family. She loved having her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren come to visit. After selling the hotel, she spent her time baking for her children and grandchildren, reading, making quilts, doing puzzles and getting together with her lady friends. Maggie often remarked about the changes in transportation technology, especially the fact that she grew up driving horses and by the end of her life, people had been to the moon and back. She took great pride in her independence and self-reliance which continued throughout her life. On May 12th, Maggie celebrated her 100th birthday. Maggie was preceded in death by her husband, her oldest daughter, Eleanor, in 1934, her parents, her sister, Helen Ruff, and a son-in-law, Lawrence Liming. She is survived by her son, Carl (Gloria) of Baker, daughters Burnette Liming of Ames, IA, Dolores (Stan) Erlenbush of Baker, Elaine (Paul) Schieffer of Miles City and Edith (Dick) Schwede of Ekalaka. She is also survived by 14 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren, 4 great-great-grandchildren, one sister, Erna Wenz of Baker, and many nieces, nephews and friends. Life is the mirror of every man, just what you are and do, so do to the world the best you can, and the rest will come back to you. ?At Maggie?s request, Memorials can be made to the Intermountain Children?s Home in Helena, MT or First Baptist Church in Baker, MT. Arrangements are under the care of Stevenson Funeral Home of Baker, MT.