Margaret (Decker) Unrau, 95, of Glasgow passed away January 15, 2016 at Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital.
Margaret was born in Lustre, Montana on April 14, 1920 to Zacharias J. and Barbara (Waldner) Decker. She was one of 12 children; six of them died in childhood. Margaret attended Lustre and Frazer schools, graduating in 1938. She was a proud to be a Frazer Bear Cubs All State basketball player in 1937-1938. She liked to repeat a statement made by the Frazer School Superintendent: Margaret, if you play the game of life as well as you play the game of basketball, you will succeed.
Margaret met her future husband, Toby Unrau, through his sister and her best friend Nellie Unrau. They were married on September 30, 1939 in Frazer, Montana. Her light blue taffeta street length dress and veil were made by her sister, Adina. It was during the depression so there was no reception or honeymoon. For the next 7 years they moved around to various old homesteads. In 1946 they bought a farm in the Lustre area, a half mile from the Unrau homestead. During these years their four children were born. They moved back to Frazer in 1954 and then to Lewistown, Montana in 1955; staying there until 1965 when they moved to Delavan, Wisconsin.
Margaret became employed outside the home for the first time in September 1966; working in a factory cafeteria. Four years later she went to work packaging sports equipment and worked there for 12 years; retiring in 1982 when she moved to Glasgow, Montana. Toby felt that he was getting up in years and wanted Margaret to be with family. Margaret thought that she had retired, but in 1988 she went to work in the laundry at the Valley View Home; working until she was 69 years old.
Margaret was a member of the Evangelical Church and this was an important part of her life. Throughout her life she hosted many missionaries and church speakers; providing a room and delicious meal. There are hundreds of names in a guest book she kept up to date. Margaret was a natural homemaker; friends and family felt welcome and comfortable in her home. The Chicago Cubs were a favorite team of Margaret’s and she was happy when she had a baseball or basketball game to watch. She was a competitive Scrabble player; beating her children and grandchildren on a regular basis. Margaret taught herself to play the button accordion at an early age and continued to play; even in talent shows at Nemont Manor and Valley View Home.
Margaret was preceded in death by her husband, Toby; all of her siblings, and a son-in-law. She is survived by her four children, Barbara (Jim) Kline of Frost Proof, Flordia, Patricia (Sid) Rice of Glasgow, Montana, Darrel Unrau of Cheyenne, Wyoming and Donald (Audrey) Unrau of Portland, Oregon; seven grandchildren, Karen and Dwayne Wilson, Kathy and Tommy Luby, Stacie and Kurt McCauley, Susan and Tony Fast, Jennifer and Kurt Honeyager, Sonja Unrau and Reuben Unrau; 10 great-grandchildren and sister-in-law, Ruth Coulter of Maryland.