Margaret Raetz

Margaret L. Raetz, age 93, passed of natural causes at The Gardens at St. Elizabeth’s in Denver on 08/04/2022.

Born 02/06/1929 in Red Wing, MN, Margaret grew up having adventures in the surrounding area and walking everywhere she went. She often spoke of having met Chief Red Wing as a child and how majestic and handsome he was. Her lifelong passion for walking followed her throughout her life and was a large part of who she was. “You can find a solution to just about every problem you have in a mile walk.” During these walks she spoke of her life and how grateful she was to have lived so long and experienced so much. Always a giver and compassionate soul, it was her sense of adventure that drew her to the nursing profession. In the early days of air travel, you needed to have a nursing background to be a stewardess, to which Aunt Meg quickly attained only to be told she was too short to reach the overhead compartments on the airplane! It was to many a person’s great fortune that she took that small setback and turned it into a lifelong career in nursing, to include personally attending to President Eisenhower for 7 weeks after his 1955 heart attack.

Margaret was an Air Force Veteran and devoted Catholic. She graduated from the University of Colorado with a bachelor’s degree in nursing (1962), after attending nursing college at St. Scholastica in Duluth, MN.

Her service to community never stopped. After retiring from Mercy Hospital as an ER nurse, she continued to provide care to those around her. Always the optimist, she lived life without fear and was an adventurous solo world traveler, and always a big kid at heart. Margaret was an enthusiast of Elvis Presley, Tai Chi, McDonald’s cheeseburgers, the Broncos, the Rockies, New Zealand, sheep, Ireland, St. Patrick’s Day, green beer, and everything else hued blue.

She was a monument to unselfishness, a nurse unparalleled, a Veteran, but most importantly, she was a cherished daughter, sister, godmother, aunt, and friend.  She zestfully lived a life well lived, dressed in dignity, selflessness, and tolerant kindness. She emanated profound joy, endless energy, and contagious laughter. Every person she met was blessed and delighted to have known her. She was also known by several nicknames: Marg, Maggie, Aunt Meg, Aunt Beaver, and Megus Aurelius. We hold her dearly in our collective memory.

Margaret is survived by her sister, Mary Ann Stark of Caledonia, MN, and six nieces and nephews: Mary Jo Hyland of San Jose, CA; Tom Stark [Kathleen] of Madison, WI; Patrick Stark [Lisa] of Huntington Beach, CA; Mike Stark [Wendy] of Caledonia, MN; Ed Raetz [Carina] and Alison Loveless [Jeff] of Colorado Springs, CO. She is also survived by her grand-nephews (Robert Stark and Rowan Raetz) and grand-nieces (Jamie and Maggie Hyland). She was preceded in death by her parents, Edward and Loretta Raetz of Red Wing, MN; her brother and sister-in-law, Bernie and Jan Raetz of Colorado Springs, CO; her brother-in-law, Bob Stark of Caledonia, MN; and her nephew-in-law, Jim Hyland of San Jose, CA.

Per her wishes, there will be no services. She will be cremated and interred at Calvary Cemetery in Red Wing, MN, next to her parents.

“If you smile at the world, it tends to smile back” -Meg