Margaret Kindig Stonecipher, 99, died on December 9, 2020 at Iroquois Memorial Hospital in Watseka, Illinois, after losing her 13 day battle with COVID 19. Sadly, one week earlier her youngest sister, Shirley, lost her battle with COVID 19.  Margaret wore several hats in life; daughter, sister, business leader, community leader, wife, step-mother, step-grandmother, aunt, great-aunt, great-great-aunt and the list could go on and on.  She was sharp as a tack, young at heart and mind, and the most gracious lady we have ever known. She lived independently up until the end, and she will most certainly be missed by her Kentland coffee group where many laughs were shared with friends.  

Margaret was born on November 8, 1921 in Newton County, Indiana to the late Curtis and Reba (Whaley) Kindig.  She graduated from Kent High School in 1939.  She graduated from Indiana Business College in 1941. 

She was a member of the Trinity United Methodist Church of Kentland, she served on the Jasper/Newton Foundation Board, and most notably, she started the Margaret Kindig Stonecipher Scholarship in 2000, and she has personally given out over $34,000 to South Newton students.

Margaret went to work for Edw. J. Funk & Sons, a seed corn company, in Kentland in the 1940s.  She was instrumental in helping Funks grow into a multi-million dollar company by the time it sold in the 1980s. She started as a bookkeeper and was soon elevated to Office Manager and Secretary of the company.  She was dedicated, steadfast, honest, courageous, smart, and believed above all else, you must have integrity in business. Don Funk, past president says, “Margaret ran Funks Seed Co”! 

In 1985 she retired from Edward J. Funk and Sons and got married for the first time at age 64 to the late Keith Stonecipher.  They enjoyed driving around in the red convertible corvette, which was a retirement gift from Funks.  She and Keith spent 16 years together, with friends and family, as they played cards, traveled, attended Purdue basketball and football games, and had a great life as they enjoyed each other’s company. She was cherished by Keith’s family, as they got to know how special she was.

Margaret was the ultimate matriarchal figure in the Kindig family.  She watched over her mother Reba, and twin sister Reta for many years.  She was always present in her siblings’ and their family’s lives.  To this day, she has never once forgotten to recognize everyone’s birthday with a nice note and a card!

Aunt Margaret always made each of her eleven nieces and nephews feel special.  The girls will remember how she let us play dress-up, marking up our faces with those really cool stackable creme eye shadows and lipsticks, and parading around wearing her coveted high heels!  The boys will fondly remember many games of croquet, and “hide ‘n seek” played in her basement. She and Grandma Kindig would tell us not to hang on the basement pipes, and then as soon as they’d leave, we’d be swinging like monkeys!  

She was preceded in death by her husband, Keith Stonecipher, her step-daughter, Carol Sue (Stonecipher) Wilson, and her step grandson, Jeff Wilson; all 4 of her siblings and their spouses, Calvin (Margie) Kindig, Evelyn (Kindig) and Jesse McMullan, Virginia (Kindig) and James Simons, and Shirley (Kindig) and Marlin Johnson.

She is survived by her step-son, David (Carol Ann) Stonecipher, and 3 step-grandchildren, 10 step-great-grandchildren, and 2 step-great-great grandchildren.

She is survived by her 11 nieces and nephews, Steve (Susie) Kindig, Karen (Robb) Robinson, Sherry (Ed) Zaunick, Larry (Delinda) Kindig, Jim McMullan, John (Barb) McMullan, Mark (JoAnn) Simons, Cathy (Earl) Standish, Ross Johnson, Rhonda (Brett) Hendee, Teresa (Jeff) Welsh.

She is also survived by 9 great nephews and 10 great nieces, along with 5 great-great nephews, and 9 great-great nieces.

A Celebration of Life for Margaret will be held at a later date.

Please consider a memorial donation to the Margaret Kindig Stonecipher Scholarship.  Check may be mailed to the Jasper/Newton Foundation, PO Box 295, Rensselaer, IN 47978, with the memo “Margaret Kindig Stonecipher Scholarship”.  

Share memories and condolence online at www.clapperfuneralservices.com