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Margarete Straughn

Margarete Straughn

Veterans Funeral Care Margarete Straughn

Straughn, Margarete “Marge”, 78, of Tampa, FL passed away July 19, 2012 at Hospice House Woodside, Pinellas Park, FL.

Survived by husband of 30 years, Charles; children: Patricia, Alice, Arthur J. (LaRose), Katherine, Adam, Daniel, & John Coto; Karen, Steven, Joe, & Mark Straughn.

Interment will be in West Virginia. 

Margarete was born 9 Oct 1933, in Würzburg, Bayern (Bavaria), Germany. She was the daughter of Maria Werner and Karl Staudenrauss. Her father left Germany shortly before her birth, and Margarete never met him until she was about ten years old. Her mother took a job as a nurse aboard a German Navy ship, and placed Margarete with the Kuchenmeister family, who lived in the village of Rottenbauer. At the age of three, Margarete began to visit her mother. At age six, when it was time to start first grade, she went to live with her in Würzburg permanently. She often spent time with her foster family throughout her youth, taking the train by herself when she was only seven years old. She loved the trains. She remembered her time in Rottenbauer and with the Kuchenmeister family as some of her happiest years. Later when the bombing began, her mother sent her to stay with her foster family for a time. Maria was in the military, and was unable to leave the city.

In 1938, Maria Werner married Johann Neckermann, and he adopted Margarete. She always considered him her father, and “the best father anyone could have.” In spite of the war, Margarete felt she had a good childhood, and never lacked for the necessities. They got ration cards, however, they were never hungry because their family and Margarete’s foster family brought them food from the country. As a trailor, her mother sewed her clothes. Margarete never liked to sew but preferred to crochet and knit. By the time she was twelve, she could do everything in the house. Margarete often went to different churches all over Würzburg with her grandmother. Margarete said she always depended on God to get her through, and He always came through for her.

At school, she learned English, Spanish, and a little French. She was good at languages. She started piano lessons at the “house of the giants.” Each member of the family was over 6’3”in height. The bombing of Würzburg ended her piano lessons, and forced Margarete and her mother to flee to Johann’s hometown of Oesfeld. She remembered the morning her family and her came out of woods and saw the American tanks and soldiers coming. She and her family stood there waving and jumping. The soldiers were throwing candy and gum. “We were happy when the Americans came.” They occupied the town for a few weeks and would come by to get eggs in exchange for chocolate. Since she knew some English, she would translate for the soldiers when they wanted something. After about five months, her and her mother moved back to the city. When the Americans came to Germany a lot of people began to learn English. The troops had small books they would give them, especially the girls.

Margarete worked in her uncle’s bike and motorcycle shop for about a year and a half, as a sales clerk. She attended business school for about six months. In 1952, she married Adam Coto, a U.S. Army soldier stationed in Germany. On 26 December 1952, Margarete and her first-born daughter, bordered the S.S. Henry Gibbons, at Bremerhaven, and immigrated to the U.S. with Adam. They arrived in New York City on 5 January 1953. On 22 Sep 1955, she became a U.S. citizen. Her naturalization papers described her—“complexion fair, eyes blue-grey, hair light brown, height 5 feet 1 inches, weight 105 pounds, scar on left arm.” For sixteen years, as military dependents, Margarete and her family of six children moved a number of times. They were stationed in Germany, Virginia, Monterey, California; Fort Meade, Maryland; Fort Bragg, North Carolina; and Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

In 1968, Margarete and her children settled in Tampa. Adam went to Viet Nam. She began working at the NCO Club, MacDill AFB as a waitress. They divorced and in 1982 she married Charles Straughn in Tampa. She retired from the NCO Club.  One day in 2009, she spoke of her life at that time. She said she wasn’t in the house much. She sits outside. Her neighborhood is quiet. She likes it quiet. Charlie and her have bingo. Some of her old customers go and she sees them. They enjoy it at the Club. She liked the way Charlie and her were right then. She was happy with her situation.

Sadly, like her mother and aunt before her, Marge developed Alzheimer’s. In 2011, she was placed in a nursing home. When asked about why she thought she was there, she said, “I’m here to help.” At 6:58 p.m. on July 19, 2012, she passed away. Her view of death—God would be there to take care of her.

A few things remembered about her by her family: She liked roses, carnations, and red cardinals.  She was a good cook. She remembered birthdays, and sent cards. She was a meticulous housekeeper. She was a hard worker, energetic, and social. For her, there were no strangers.  She was a caregiver, always trying to help others. She liked to give little gifts.  She was always trying to feed you. She told interesting stories about her mother. She rarely spoke of herself or her life, unless asked. She collected dinner plates of the U.S. states, which lined her kitchen walls. She expressed her love through service and gifts. She was simple in her pleasures. She learned to forgive. She worried a lot about the happiness of her children.

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