Margaret M. Richards

Funeral Services for Margaret M. "Marge" Richards will be conducted from the First United Methodist Church in Holdrege, Nebraska on Monday, January 29, 2007 at 10:30 a.m. with Reverend Buck Linton-Hendrick and Chaplain Jean Clayton, officiating. Interment will be in the Alma Cemetery at Alma, Nebraska at 1:00 p.m.

Margaret Mary "Marge" Richards, 89 years of age, of Holdrege, passed away on Wednesday, January 24, 2007 at the Holdrege Memorial Homes. Marge was born October 23, 1917 at Naponee, Nebraska, the youngest of three children of William and Perle (McFarland) Bendel. She received her education at Naponee, graduating from Naponee High School with the class of 1934. Marge then pursued higher education at Hastings attending beauty school. She then worked as a cosmetologist in Alma, Nebraska.

On May 5, 1940 she was united in marriage to William E. Richards and the couple made their home on a farm near the family homestead north of Alma in Harlan County. The couple also engaged in raising Black Angus Cattle on their ranch called the "Nip-N-Tuck Ranch". They purchased the 1st Security Bank of Holdrege in 1967, where Bill was chairman of the board and CEO for twenty-four years before selling the bank in December of 1992.

Marge was a 52 year member of the First United Methodist Church in Holdrege, where she was active with the Women's Society, she was a 35 year hospital service league volunteer, also volunteered many hours at Memorial Homes, enjoyed many friendship bonds formed through the years in numerous clubs, had a special place in her heart for Philanthropy giving to the Holdrege community in many ways and enjoyed a deep love of roses, which she tended to for many years. On November 2, 1995 she was awarded the "Another Kind of Heart Award" presented by the Phelps Memorial Health Center and the Nebraska Heart Institute.

She leaves to mourn her passing her sister-in-law, Cleo Bendel of San Marcos, California; nephews: Moe Milliken and his wife, Jean of Holdrege, Jon Burgeson and his wife, Ellen of Gretna, Nebraska and Ron Bendel of Dallas, Texas; nieces: LoAnne Ohrt of rural Orleans, LaVonne McDonald and her husband, Bob of El Cajon, California, Evelyn Richards of Lincoln, Shirley Skeith and her husband, Maurice of Seattle, Washington, Paula Bente of San Marcos and Colleen Manning and her husband, Bill of Dallas, Texas; great-nephews: Richard Ohrt and his wife, Bridget, James Ohrt and his wife, Nora, Larry Milliken and his wife, Rosemary, Steve Milliken and his wife, Miekka and Scott Milliken and his wife, Linda;
great-nieces: Janet Exstrom and her husband, Kent, Sheryl Ohrt, Kathy Freedman and her husband, Joe, Diane Vasey and her husband, Mike, Pam Huebert and her husband, Jerry, Amy Richards, Teresa McBride and her husband, Dennis; and a host of great-great nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends, including special friends: Suzanne Lindsey and Trudy Rath. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Bill on February 9, 1994; brother, Bud Bendel; sister, Ione Chandler and her husband, Larry; and nephews: Kenneth Ohrt and Roger Richards.

Mrs. Richards will lie in state at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege on Sunday, January 28, 2007 from 1:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. with the family greeting from 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

A memorial has been established in her memory and will be designated at a later date.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com

The Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege is in charge of the arrangements.