Margaret L. ‘Marge’ Wiese, 98, of Austin, Minnesota, died Monday, Jan. 9, 2017, at Sacred Heart Care Center.

Margaret Louise Wackwitz was born June 15, 1918, in Welcome, Minnesota, to Henry and Emma (Finke) Wackwitz, the youngest of seven sisters and two brothers. Her father was a windmill designer and her mother was a homemaker. Though Margie was more than a decade younger than her eldest sibling Mary, all the sisters were especially close-knit, whether delivering milk around town together via wagon or dancing at Fox Lake Ballroom in Sherburn, Minnesota.

After high school, Margie worked at the Welcome State Bank until she met Nathan Wiese. They were married on Oct. 15, 1944, at St. John Vianney Catholic Church in Fairmont, Minnesota. The couple made their home in Austin and later moved to their small farm near Brownsdale, Minnesota, where they raised their two children, Mark and Julie Ann.

Many nieces and nephews, and eventually great-nieces and nephews, spent their summers basking in Margie’s warmth and laughter and country cooking, sharing delight with her children. To this day, most everyone in her extended family has a piece of Margie’s knitting, the hobby with which she spent much of her free time. Her pride and joy was her gorgeous rose garden, which she lovingly tended each year. Marge also enjoyed playing bridge and hosting fun parties with friends and family. She enjoyed the good camaraderie of the “Neighbors on 56.” Nate and Marge moved back to Austin in 2006. Marge’s good spirit and sense of adventure and fun will be dearly missed by all her family and friends. Blessed be her memory.

A special thank you is extended to Primrose Retirement Center, Sacred Heart Care Center and Queen of Angels ministry, for their good and loving care of Marge.

Marge is survived by her daughter-in-law, Lisa (Mark) Place of Owatonna, Minnesota; her sisters-in-law, Bernice Mahnke of San Mateo, California, Delores (Howard) Nielsen of Jackson, Minnesota, and Marie Wiese of Austin; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Nate, her son Mark, her daughter, Julie Ann, and all nine of her siblings.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 21, 2017, at Worlein Funeral Home in Austin with Father Dale Tupper officiating. The family will greet friends one hour prior to the service on Saturday. Interment will follow at Calvary Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Queen of Angels or Sacred Heart Care Center.

Worlein Funeral Home of Austin is assisting the family with arrangements. Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.worlein.com.