Marguerite J. Rath

Marguerite Jane, daughter of George and Margaret (Hall) Dunlap was born April 17, 1931. She passed away Saturday evening, February 4, 2017, at her home in Denison, Iowa at the age of 85.
Marguerite was born on a farm six miles north of Arthur, Iowa. She was baptized in the Silver Creek Methodist Church and was confirmed there on April 18, 1943. She attended country school through 6th grade near her home and then attended 7th-12th grades at Arthur Community School graduating in 1949. She attended Iowa State Teachers College in Cedar Falls, Iowa for one year and then began her teaching career in the fall of 1950 at Corwin #3 country school in Ida County for one year. Following this, she spent the next two years in Arthur teaching 1st and 2nd grades and then one year in Holstein, Iowa teaching 1st grade.
Marguerite met her future husband Leslie Rath, in the fall of 1950 at a skating rink in Ida Grove. They were married on August 22, 1954. At that time, she began teaching kindergarten at Charter Oak, Iowa for three years. She and Leslie were blessed with the birth of a son, Randy and a daughter, Rhonda. Marguerite enjoyed being home for eight years with her children. She returned to teaching in 1966 as a Special Reading teacher at Denison Elementary School. At the same time, she began taking night and summer classes at Buena Vista College receiving her Bachelor of Science Degree in 1969. She taught in Denison for 35 years, retiring in 1993.
A big highlight in her life was traveling with Les to Northern Ireland in 1979 to see where her parents were born and raised. Marguerite and Les also enjoyed traveling in their motor home. They spent 10 winters in Florida and Texas, with a special trip to Alaska in 1995. In her leisure time she enjoyed being outside tending her flowers and vegetable gardens. She cherished the time she spent with her four grandchildren.
Marguerite was preceded in death by her parents George and Margaret Dunlap. She is survived by her husband of 62 years, Leslie; one son, Randy (Sue); one daughter, Rhonda (Jeff); four grandchildren, Kolby (Casey); Kiley (Tony); Lukas and Lynsie; three great-grandsons, Gavin, Carter, and Claus; two sisters, Florence and Mary; sister-in-law, Ruby; other relatives and many friends.