Margaret Marie Barmann
1916-2013
Margaret Marie Barmann, 97, died Friday, August 30, 2013, at Brandon Woods at Alvamar in Lawrence, KS.
She was born Margaret Marie Lawrence on August 9, 1916, in Wichita, KS, to William Andrew and Anna Maditz Lawrence. In 1921 her family moved to Kansas City, KS, where Margaret attended Blessed Sacrament grade school and graduated from Bishop Ward High School in 1935. She later attended a business/secretarial school and worked as a secretary in Kansas City, KS.
Margaret embarked on quite an adventure for a Kansas girl when she moved to Washington, D.C. in April 1941, where she lived on Constitution Avenue and worked at the U.S. Marine Corps Headquarters. She had many interesting stories about her experiences there as Pearl Harbor was attacked and the U.S. entered World War II. Margaret returned to Kansas City in 1942, where she worked for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Air Transport Command and the Veterans’ Administration. She was active in the Kansas Alpha Mu Chapter
of Beta Sigma Phi service sorority during this time. She married Lawrence V. Barmann on October 27, 1949 at Blessed Sacrament Church in Kansas City, KS. Lawrence, a U.S. Army Captain during World War II, was a farmer, and raised grain and livestock near Maryville, MO. Margaret and Lawrence lived on the farm from the time of their marriage until 2000 when they moved to Lawrence, KS. Lawrence passed away in 2008 after 58 years of marriage.
Margaret became an accomplished homemaker and farm wife, and she tackled learning new skills with enthusiasm. She raised chickens, churned butter, canned, sewed, quilted, cooked and baked to perfection. Margaret loved history and politics, and was an avid reader. She had a sharp mind up to the end of her life, and was witty, gentle and kind. She was an inspiration to her family and was dear to all who knew her. She was active in the Merry Matrons Club for many years, and was a member of St. Gregory Barbarigo Catholic Church in Maryville and Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Lawrence, KS.
Margaret is survived by a son, Larry Barmann and wife Kathy, Red Oak, Iowa; three daughters, Ann Edwards and husband, Robert, Kansas City, MO, Kathy Robbins and husband, Mark, Lawrence, KS, and Sue Buchanan and husband, Richard, Charleston, SC; nine grandchildren, Christina (Russ)Rauba, Mark (Krista) Barmann, Angela (Kevin)Britten, Matthew Edwards, Susanna Edwards, Stephen Robbins, Neal Buchanan, Andrew Buchanan and Hallie Buchanan; and seven great-grandchildren, Lauren Rauba, Jasmine and Brogan Barmann, Conor
and Caitlin Britten, and Jordan and Malia Baker. Margaret is also survived by her sister, Helen Stalzer and her husband, Donald; sisters-in law Dorline Lawrence and Mary Lawrence; brother-in-law, Jack Breitenstein; and many nieces and nephews, all of whom were very special to her.
In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, William
Lawrence and John Lawrence; and two sisters, Rosemary Breitenstein and Sister Anna Mary (Lillian) Lawrence.
There will be a prayer service from 5:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, September 2 at St. Gregory Barbarigo Church, Maryville, MO; the family will then greet friends from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
A funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, September 3 at the church. Burial will be in St. Mary’s Cemetery in Maryville.
The family suggests memorials to St. Gregory Barbarigo Church or the Kansas Audio Reader Network, sent in care of Price Funeral Home, 120 East First Street, Maryville, MO 64468.
The family wishes to give a heartfelt thank you to the wonderful and caring staff of Brandon Woods, many of whom became her dear friends, and who took care of our mother so lovingly over the years; and also thanks to the special people at Heartland Hospice, for their compassionate care during her final journey.