Margie Kuennen, 93, of Oelwein passed away Saturday May 10, 2025 at Oelwein Healthcare Center in Oelwein. Visitation will be from 4:00 PM-7:00 PM on Friday May 16, 2025 at the Geilenfeld-Buehner Funeral Home in Oelwein. Mass of Christian Burial will begin at 10:30 AM on Saturday May 17, 2025 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Oelwein with Fr. David Ambrosy and Deacon Jim Patera officiating. Interment will be in Woodlawn Cemetery at Oelwein.
Margie Jean Jacobson was born on October 14, 1931 in the family home near Eldorado to parents Edwin and Hilda (Koester) Jacobson. She attended West Union Schools, graduating with the class of 1949. Following High School Margie met her future husband, Luke Victor Kuennen, at a dance at the Oelwein Coliseum. On February 3, 1951 they were united in marriage at St. Matthews Parish in Cedar Rapids. In her early married life in Cedar Rapids, Margie was employed with Rockwell Collins and was also a homemaker. They relocated a few times before settling on a dairy farm outside of Maynard, where Margie was a busy homemaker, wife and mother and worked hand in hand with Luke on the farm, achieving a successful life.
Margie enjoyed baking delicious pies, cookies and bread, sharing them with whomever visited, as well as friends and neighbors. She had a huge garden that she tended, often canning and freezing for meals. In the 1970’s she set up a roadside vegetable stand and had a yard filled with pumpkins, squash and many vegetables. Margie often volunteered her time to community events and enjoyed selling her baked goods at the Farmer’s Market. When Margie and Luke had free time they enjoyed taking their fishing boat to various places, often with their grandchildren. In retirement she enjoyed card playing, baking, gardening and especially spending time with family and friends. She was loved by many and she created precious memories that will be cherished forever.
Even though she was raising her own big family, she always had extra love to give others.
Left to celebrate Margie’s life are her children: Kathy (Jerry) Cole of Fayette, Mary Bell of Coralville, Jim (Brenda) Kuennen of Maynard, Allen (Marie) Kuennen of Maynard, Kris Kuennen of Council Bluffs, Karla (John) Steil of Oelwein, Kevin (Stacy) Kuennen of Maynard, Lisa (Jeff) Forsyth of Fayette and Jeni (John) Roadcap of Montezuma; her 23 grandchildren and 34 great-grandchildren; her many nieces and nephews; her sister and brother-in-law Janice and Bud Eide of Elkader; her sister-in-law Gerri Jacobson of Cedar Rapids.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; her son Jeffery Kuennen; her son-in-law Neil Bell; her sister and brother-in-law Betty and Cliff Gisleson; her brothers: Herbert and James Jacobson.
