Margaret Legge, age 99, passed away with her children by her side on Sept. 10, 2022 at the Daugherty Hospice House in Sioux Falls. A graveside service will be held on Thursday, Sept. 15, 2022 at 11 a.m. at the Winner City Cemetery in Winner, SD.
Margaret was born Nov. 29, 1922 on a homestead at Millboro, SD to Charles and Helen (Shaheen) Ellis. She had five siblings. At a young age, the family moved to a farm 9 miles south of Dallas. She attended Pleasant Valley school in Gregory County until seventh grade when the family moved again to a farm two miles north of Winner. She graduated from Winner High School in 1941.
For a short time she attended business school in Sioux City, IA. When WW II broke out she took a civil service test and joined the great number of others who were appointed to jobs in Washington, D.C. Her clerical job was in the Ordinance Department where the purchase of arms was made. Her unit was later transferred to Detroit, Michigan to be closer to the factories. In 1943 she returned to Winner to be closer to family. She worked at Omaha Cold Storage for a year and later worked at the South Dakota Employment Office where she stayed until her marriage.
In 1947 she was united in marriage to S.D. (Buck) Legge and to this union two children were born, Linda and Roger.
In 1950 her husband was back in the service with the South Dakota National Guard and Margaret took a job with Miller Bros. Auto Co. while he was gone. Her job there as business manager continued for over 30 years until the dealership was sold in 1982. The next year she went to work for the City of Winner where she stayed for five years. She continued to work part time at the school lunch line until she was almost 80 years old.
Margaret was an avid bowler and it was a big part of her life. As President of the local women’s association in the 70’s she was instrumental in having the first women’s bowling tournament in Winner. She then served on the State Women’s Bowling Board of Directors, first as Director from District II and later became 2nd Vice President. This led to many trips to National Bowling Tournaments all over the United States. For several years she was the editor of the state newsletter, the Pheasant Flyer, which was distributed throughout the state to all women’s league bowlers. In 1991 Margaret was inducted into the South Dakota Bowling Hall of Fame.
Margaret was a long-time member of the American Legion Auxiliary and she and Buck gave many volunteer hours to the Legion and VFW on their steak nights, preparing food for the salad bar and serving tables. She was also a member of the Women in Business Club during her working years. She spent many years caring for her aunt Mary Still who lived to be 106 years old. She will be remembered for her responsible nature that others could depend on.
She is survived by her son Roger (Barb) Legge, Aberdeen, SD and their two children Ryan (Beth) Legge and their children Teddy and Lorelei from San Antonio, TX; Laura (Bruce) Mayberry and their children Trace and Charlie from Fort Worth, TX; her daughter Linda Rush, Sioux Falls, SD and her two children Mark Rush (Melissa) and their son Lincoln from St. Paul, MN; Kristen Rush from Nevada and her daughter Amber Rush from Rapid City, SD. She is also survived by her brother Tom (Lola) Ellis from Oklahoma City, OK and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents Charley and Helen Ellis, her husband Buck Legge, sisters Mae Brakke and Dorothy Roberts, brothers Leonard Ellis and Fred Ellis, nieces Barbara Fox and Carol Legge and nephews Dennis Brakke and Lyle Vosika and special close friend who was also her sister-in-law Mary Jane Kaplan. She was also preceded in death by many brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law.
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