Margaret Alberta George Jaeger, daughter of the Kansas prairie, devoted wife, loving mother and life-long follower of Jesus, died peacefully on January 29, 2025, surrounded by her husband and children. Throughout her life, she graced all around her with her kindness, intelligence, strength and humor.
Margaret was born in Wamego, Kansas on December 19, 1930, to Samuel and Elon George, and was raised on a farm and then in Junction City with her eight sisters and brother. She graduated from high school in 1948 and attended Kansas State, graduating in 1952 with a degree in Medical Technology.
Margaret worked as a medical technician in Minneapolis, Kansas and then Sacramento, where she met and married Ralph Jaeger in 1956. For the next 20 years she settled into life as mother to four children and military spouse, moving the family frequently to Oklahoma, Texas, California, Wyoming, Ohio, and finally North Dakota.
Margaret was independent and always on the move. She completed a second bachelor’s degree in education at the University of Wyoming in 1971. She worked as a substitute secondary school teacher, medical office administrator and life insurance salesperson. Upon Ralph’s retirement from the military in 1977, they returned to Laramie but in 1988 moved again when Ralph attended seminary in Indiana and then served as a pastor in Western Nebraska. . In 1998 they settled down again in Laramie where Margaret enjoyed more than 25 years living near the mountains, serving her church community at Zion Lutheran, and hosting countless visits from her cherished children and grandchildren.
Margaret actively supported her children’s education and interests and ferried them (and their friends) to endless practices, meetings and lessons. She loved having a house full of teenagers and had a genuine laugh that filled a room with joy.
Margaret loved English tea, mystery novels and television series, an occasional glass of Merlot or Moscow Mule. She enjoyed playing word and card games with family and friends. She became a devoted Wyoming Cowboys fan and followed professional golf with a passion.
Margaret was close to her sisters and brother and their extended families, celebrating the George Family at biennial family reunions. She was the last surviving member of her generation of the George family.
Margaret faithfully trusted God. After her young sister died, Margaret took it upon herself to find and go to church and Sunday School. She was baptized at age 11, and as a teenager was the leader of her Methodist youth group. She was confirmed into the Lutheran faith the day her first child, Nancy, was baptized. She lived out her faith over the many years to follow and leaned heavily into her relationship with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ as she became ill with cancer.
Margaret is survived by her husband of 68 years, Ralph; daughters, Nancy Alford and Peggy (John) Grunow; sons Chuck (Locke) Jaeger and Tom (Sally Ann) Jaeger; grandchildren Colin, Heather, Beth, Carl, Andrew, Evan, Jackson, Lee and Eva; and numerous great-grandchildren.
Burial will take place 10:00 a.m. Saturday, March 15th at Greenhill Cemetery in Laramie, Wyoming.
