Margaret Mae De Long, the daughter of Loraine and Elnora (Niemeyer) Schwem, was born August 31, 1941 in Tripoli, Iowa. She graduated from Tripoli High School in 1959. At the age of eighteen, Margaret moved to California. Margaret was united in marriage with William De Long on May 30, 1966 in Reno, Nevada. In 1989, she and her family returned to Tripoli to live. Margaret was a home day care provider for nearly forty years in California and Tripoli.
Margaret’s death occurred Saturday, December 4, 2010, at Allen Memorial Hospital in Waterloo, Iowa, after a sudden illness. She was sixty-nine years old. Margaret loved reading, her animals, working outside in her yard, and spending time with her family.
Margaret is survived by her daughters, Robyn Byrne and Yvonne Wood, both of Tripoli; grandsons, Andy Byrne of Ames, Iowa; William Byrne of Cedar Falls, Iowa; and Colton Wood of Tripoli; granddaughter, Maggie Wood of Ames, Iowa; sisters, Myrna Costa of Waterloo, Iowa; and Marlene (Steve) Knapp of Westgate, Iowa; brothers, Romaine Schwem of Waterloo, Iowa; Jerry (Lucy) Schwem of Gays Mills, Wisconsin; Steven Schwem of Viroqua, Wisconsin; and Mark Schwem of Mason City, Iowa.
Margaret was preceded in death by her husband, William, who died on April 14, 1990; her parents; her brother, Dennis Schwem; brother-in-law, Alvin Costa; and sister-in-law, Shirley Schwem.
Funeral Services will be held at 1:00 p.m., Friday, December 10, 2010, at Rettig Funeral Chapel in Tripoli with Rev. Marilyn Sargent officiating. Interment will be held at Grace Lutheran Cemetery in Tripoli. Friends may call from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., Thursday, December 9, 2010, at Rettig Funeral Home in Tripoli and one hour before services at the funeral home on Friday.
