A Service of Remembrance was held Monday, July 17, at First United Methodist Church in Grand Junction for Margaret Mae Last, 95, of Jefferson, formerly of Grand Junction.
Pastor Steve Ransom offered words of comfort. Sheilah Pound was soloist, accompanied by Keri Brooker. Honorary bearers were Andy Foster, Phoebe Renslow and Sue Ann Blackburn.
Casket bearers were J.C. Last, Doug Schrader, Nick Foster, Terry Augustus, Joel Cody and Lynn Marshall. Interment was at the Jefferson Municipal Cemetery.
Slininger-Schroeder Funeral Home assisted the family.
Margaret Mae Last, the daughter of Arthur and Pearl (Morain) Robinson, was born January 18, 1922, on the family farm north of Jefferson. She attended school at Hardin #9 through the eighth grade and graduated from Jefferson High School in 1939. During this time, she worked at Louie’s Candy Kitchen, Aldera’s Variety Store, Sidney’s Jewelry Store, and Empire Diamond Company in Jefferson. She then moved to Colorado and was employed at Martin’s Resort in Evergreen.
Following her return to Iowa, Margaret met Alfred Last at a dance in the basement of the Linda’s Fashions clothing store. They were married in her parents’ home on July 17, 1949, and lived on a farm near Beaver. Born to this union were a daughter Karen and a son James. They moved to Grand Junction in 1959, and once her children were older, she worked at Larry’s Café and Oblinger’s Clothing Store.
Following Al’s death in 1972, Margaret continued to reside in Grand Junction. She enjoyed cooking and won several contests, including a trip to New York for the Pillsbury Bake-Off where she won $150. Margaret loved to travel. She visited all 50 states, eight countries, and spent 31 winters in Alamo, TX. Margaret was a 4-H leader, a member of the First United Methodist Church in Grand Junction, a member of the Order of the Eastern Star since 1942, and a Greene County Medical Center auxiliary “pink lady”.
In August 2008, Margaret moved to The Gardens. She continued to enjoy visiting with people, playing cards, and Rummikub. In April 2016, she went to Greene County Medical Center’s long term care where she resided until her death.
Margaret was preceded in death by her parents, husband, brother, and a niece. She is survived by her children Karen (Dale) Schrader of Des Moines, and Jim (Lois) Last of Grand Junction; grandchildren Crystal Schrader, Laura (Justin) Andersen, Doug Schrader, and J.C. Last; great-grandchildren Kiersten and Maverick Andersen; other relatives; and many friends.
