MARGARET LOISE WILLERTON TAUTFEST
Margaret Loise Willerton Tautfest, 89, left this life on May 2, 2022, in Ponca City, OK, 11 days shy of her 90th birthday. She fought hard to last until that milestone but unfortunately, God had other plans. Viewing was held from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Thursday, May 5, 2022, at Trout Funeral Home, Tonkawa. A Funeral Ceremony was held at 10:00 a.m. Friday, May 6, 2022, at the Trout Funeral Home Chapel, with Rev. Josh Garza officiating. Burial immediately followed at Ceres Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of Trout Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Tonkawa, 505 Thunderbird Rd, Tonkawa, OK 74653.
Margaret was born on May 13, 1932, to Gertrude Mason and Christian William Willerton in Three Sands, Oklahoma. She was the third youngest of nine children. The family lived on the Amerade Oil Lease where they attended the local country school. When she moved on to attend Tonkawa High School, she continued the love of reading that she developed from an early age but also enjoyed basketball, swimming, roller skating and horseback riding. She loved her family very much and was close with her siblings even though they lived far away, but she was her dad’s “Sissy”, and they were close until his death.
While attending Tonkawa High School, she met the love of her life, Richard Lee Tautfest. One of their friends said that Richard wanted to meet her, but he always denied it. Since they were married for over 60 years, she never quite believed him! They were married on July 6, 1951, in Tonkawa and were together until Richard was called home on December 1, 2013. She always said that she felt they were meant to be together.
Margaret had several different careers in her life including telephone operator, sales clerk at Montgomery Ward, photographer assistant and computer data entry at Continental Oil and Northern Oklahoma College. She also took the time to have three wonderful children, Debra Ann Tautfest Milliner of North Carolina, Barbara Louise Tautfest Chermack of Marland, Oklahoma and the late Richard (Rick) Lee Tautfest, JR.
Margaret was very talented and enjoyed needlework, crocheting and painting which she did until her sight began to fail. She also loved to travel with one of her favorite memories being a trip to Mexico with Deb, her daughters, and grandsons. She also loved the simple joy of sitting by the family pond while Barb and her family would fish and enjoy an occasional beer. Margaret had a very strong Christian faith and truly believed that prayer could solve everything or at least give you the strength to carry on. She loved attending church services and had an electronic bible so that she could still enjoy the word of God when her vision became so poor.
Margaret is preceded in death by her parents; her adoring husband, Richard; her only son, Richard Jr; her son-in-law, Joe Chermack; her daughter-in-law, Joyce Bennett Tautfest; granddaughter, Jeneice Tautfest Labon; her brothers, William Russell, John Leroy, Calvin Leon and her sisters, Dorothy Juanita, Norma Ruth, Phillis Darlene, and Velda.
Margaret is survived by her daughters, Barbara Chermack and her children, Greg, Larry and Janet and Debra Ann Milliner; granddaughters, Johna Macklin and her sons, Cole and Caden of Tarboro, North Carolina, Jillian Michelle Kuhlmann, her husband, Ethan, and daughters, Baylin and Emmie Ann, of Osborn Kansas; her grandson, Johnathan Richard Milliner and his wife, Brandi, with daughters, Kalysta and Alexis and Brandi’s 6 wonderful children, and her brother, Kenneth Willerton and other numerous relatives across the country.
Pallbearers will be John Aaron Linn, David Wilkerson, Lance Sisco, Tony Bennett, Michael Bennett, and James Harmon. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Complete Hospice Care, 1232 SW 89th Street, Suite A, Oklahoma City, OK 73139. Friends may leave memories of Margaret at www.trouttonkawa.com.