Margaret Hitchcock, 91, of Gregory, SD passed away on Friday, April 19, 2019 at the Gregory Hospital in Gregory, SD. Funeral services will be held on Friday, April 26, 2019 at 1:00PM at the United Methodist Church in Burke, SD. Burial will follow at the Spotted Tail Cemetery in Jamison, NE. A visitation will be held on Thursday, April 25, 2019 from 6-7PM with a prayer service beginning at 7PM at the United Methodist Church in Burke, SD.

Margaret Linnea Hitchcock was born September 16, 1927 at home in Gregory County, SD, the fifth child of Axel and Martha (Anderson) Peterson, Swedish Immigrants. She passed away at the Gregory Hospital on Good Friday, April 19, 2019 at the age of 91 years, 7 months, 3 days.

She attended country schools in Gregory County, SD and Keya Paha County, NE. She graduated 8 ^th grade from the Brocksburg Grade School and Keya Paha County High School in 1945. Margaret completed her "Normal Training" as part of her high school curriculum and taught grade school for 2 years, one year at Spotted Tail and one year at the Knapp School, both located in eastern Keya Paha County, NE.

On August 24, 1947 Margaret was united in marriage to Curtis Hitchcock in the Jamison United Methodist Church. They began their life together on the Hitchcock farm/ranch which was homesteaded in 1894. They raised their five children in the house they remodeled and turned it in to a loving home. Margaret was a wonderful cook and many friends and relatives along with Curtis and her own family enjoyed her frosted angel food cakes, rice pudding, and cinnamon rolls! They lived on the Hitchcock homestead until December 2005 when Curtis's failing health brought them to Armour, SD where Curtis entered a Healthcare Center and Margaret resided in an apartment near by so she could visit him daily. After Curtis died in November 2006, Margaret resided in Burke, SD until moving to Silver Threads Assisted Living in Gregory, SD. In June 2015 she moved to the Avera Rosebud Country Care Center also located in Gregory, SD.

Margaret was a member of the Jamison United Methodist Church. She was baptized there on March 28, 1948 and served the church until she moved away.  Her heart never left and whenever possible she enjoyed returning for Sunday morning worship. She belonged to the Ladies Aid which was later called United Methodist Women and was a lifetime member of the Herrick American Legion Auxiliary Post #220. She enjoyed league bowling at the Burke Bowling Alley, getting her hair done every week, and spending time visiting with friends and family members. She loved her family and enjoyed a variety of activities that her grandchildren and great grandchildren participated in.

Margaret was once again following the Minnesota Twins; hopeful this would be the year they would make it to the World Series. Her wish to attend a Twin's game, instead of an open house party, came true for her 85 ^th birthday when several of her children and grandchildren accompanied her to a game in Minneapolis. She was also a die-hard Nebraska Cornhusker Football fan.

Blessed to have shared her life were her children: Dianne (Jim) Buryanek, Burke, SD; Sandra (Lee) Odenbach, Brewster, NE; Vernon (Pam), Newport, NE; Victor (Diana), North Platte, NE; JaNell (Bob) Gnirk, Herrick, SD. Grandchildren and great-grandchildren: Dr. Jamie Buryanek, Houston, TX; Jessica (Ron) Konechne, Amanda and Kyle, Burke, SD; Jed (Hilary) Buryanek and Jemma, Pierre, SD; Chet (Carey) Odenbach, and Ashley, Taylor, NE, Kylee, Chadron, NE; Torrey (Cara) Odenbach, Fallon and Truett, Taylor, NE; Clint Hitchcock and Hunter, Burke, SD; Riley Hitchcock, Ainsworth, NE; Heath (Dr. Jennifer Rowan-Hitchcock, DVM) Hitchcock and Lincoln, Newport, NE; Latisha (Dustin) Dunton, Cyrilla and Ronin, North Platte, NE; Bart Gnirk (Jessie Shook) Lincoln, ND, Garth (Kayla) Gnirk, Heidi and Cole, Sterling, ND; Chance Gnirk (Katie Windhorst) Fargo, ND and her special life long friend, Evonne Herman, Gregory, SD and many very special nieces, nephews, friends, other relatives and some amazing caregivers.

Preceding her in death are her husband, Curtis, her parents, Axel and Martha Peterson, her mother and father-in-law, Fred and Euphemia Hitchcock, 5 brothers: Manfred (Norma), Karl, Martin, Frank (Joanne), and Arne (Barb), 1 sister: Lovera (Milo) Reber, 3 sisters-in-law, Winnie (Paul) Serr, Bonnie (Richard) Clark, and Twila (Leon) Richardson.