Margaret Chamley

Funeral Services will be at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 13, 2023 at the Wilmot Lutheran Church in Wilmot, South Dakota and will be livestreamed on Fiksdal Funeral Service Facebook page.  Pastor Sheila Pohl will officiate. Following the service refreshments will be served in the church basement. We will depart at 3:00 p.m. for burial at Osceola Township Cemetery No. 2 near Marvin, South Dakota.

Visitation will be from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. on Friday, May 12, 2023, at the Wilmot Lutheran Church.

Margaret Jean Schliesman was born on December 24, 1933 to Royal and Ethel (Harriman) Schliesman on the Schliesman farm North of Marvin, South Dakota. She was baptized and was later confirmed into the Lutheran faith. She attended Springdale country school No. 4 near the family farm in Robert’s county. Margaret later attended Wilmot High School where she was crowned homecoming queen and graduated from there in 1951. She was united in marriage to Percy W. Chamley on February 11, 1951, in Robert’s County. The couple made their home near Marvin. Margaret worked on the farm with Percy while raising their four children: Rhonda, Percy Jr., Colin, and LaNae. In their earlier years Margaret and Percy enjoyed going to local dances together, playing cards with their many neighbors and friends, and spending time flying in the family plane. Percy passed away on August 10, 1994, and Margaret moved to Wilmot the following year. After moving to Wilmot, she worked in the lunchroom for the Wilmot School for 15 years. Margaret retired in 2003 at the age of 70. After her retirement she kept busy tying quilts for the Wilmot Lutheran Church. In recent years Margaret enjoyed cooking soup on Sunday for her apartment neighbors, taking drives with her brother, Bob, and of course, watching the Minnesota Twins Baseball team. Above all Margaret loved her family and enjoyed attending her grandchildren’s many sporting events. Over the years Margaret was a member of the Bethel Lutheran Church in Marvin, which closed in the early 80s, she then became a member of the Wilmot Lutheran Church and was a member of the Church Circle. She was also a member of the VFW Auxiliary, Snohomish Tribe, and Midnight Star.

Margaret passed away on Thursday, May 4, 2023, at the age of 89 years, 4 months, and 11 days. 

Margaret will be forever loved and deeply missed by her four children: Rhonda (Eugene) Steinocker of Summit, SD, Percy “June” Jr. (Cindy) Chamley of Wilmot, SD, Colin (Brenda) Chamley of Marvin, SD, and LaNae Chamley of Wilmot, SD; three siblings: Robert “Bob” Schliesman of Wilmot, SD, Patricia “Pat” Ammann of Bowdle, SD, and Judy Lauseng of Florence, SD; 13 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; her many nieces, nephews, and cousins. She is welcomed home by her parents, husband Percy, siblings: Paul, Richard “Dick”, Mary, William “Bill”, and James “Jim”.