Margaret Elaine Finke

Margaret Elaine Finke, 76, of Navasota, Texas passed away peacefully on Thursday, July 3, at Baylor Scott & White Hospital in College Station, surrounded by her beloved family. Visitation with family and friends will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., Wednesday, July 9, at Nobles Funeral Chapel. A celebration of her life will be held at 10:00 a.m., Thursday, July 10, at Salem Lutheran Church in Whitehall, Texas, with interment following in the Salem Lutheran Church Cemetery. Pastor Corey Christians is the officiant. Arrangements are under the direction of Nobles Funeral Chapel.

Margaret Elaine Finke was born January 10, 1949, in Navasota, to Gus H. and Alvina Abke Finke. She was baptized at Salem Lutheran Church in Whitehall, on February 6, 1949, by Rev. F.W. Behrman, and she was confirmed in her faith on April 7, 1963, also at Salem Lutheran Church by Rev. John A. Allmann.

Margaret attended schools in Navasota Independent School District all twelve years of school and graduated from Navasota High School in 1967, graduating among the top students in her class. After high school graduation, she moved to Houston and attended Durham Business College and received an Advanced Secretarial Certification. Following the completion of business school, she started working at Hughes Tool Company, which later became known as Baker Hughes, and eventually Hughes Christensen. She started out as a porter who rode a bicycle throughout the company, delivering things to employees. She served Hughes in a number of roles throughout her career, including Secretary to the President of the company. When Margaret retired from Hughes Christensen, she was Executive Secretary in Human Resources and had worked for Hughes Christensen for over 40 years. Her coworkers at Hughes fondly called her “Maggie,” and she often joked that if you called and asked for Margaret, no one would know who you wanted.

Margaret and her sister, Barbara, lived together and worked together at Hughes for many years. The sisters spent so much time together and looked so much alike that many people thought they were twins, although there were several years between them. Margaret lived in Houston for sixteen years before she and Barbara moved back to their roots in Navasota. Margaret attended Salem Lutheran Church throughout her life, even when she moved to Houston. She was very involved in her church, having been a member of the choir and serving as a Sunday school teacher for 22 years. She and Barbara wrote and directed many Christmas Eve children’s services for the church. She also served as the church secretary and youth counselor for stints of time.

Margaret was also very involved with the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League (LWML) at Salem Lutheran Church, serving in a variety of officer positions throughout the years. She even served the LWML at the zone level by being an officer. She and fellow LWML members often attended the LWML conferences each year, taking her to numerous places throughout the country.

Margaret also did volunteer work for public television—Channel 8 out of Houston and the Grimes County Fair. She worked with Junior Achievement, the United Way, and several campaign organizations throughout her life.

Although Margaret had no children of her own, she “mothered” numerous children throughout the years, especially her nine nieces and nephews. She liked to say it was her job to do the spoiling of these young people, who very lovingly referred to their aunt as “Margee.”

Margaret is survived by her brother Lawrence “Shorty” Finke and his wife, Brenda Finke, of Navasota and her sister-in-law Nellie “Tootie” Finke of Fayetteville. She is also survived by her nieces and nephews, Darlene Hertel and husband Todd of Brenham, Kimberly Finke of Fayetteville, Karen Oncken and husband Edgar of Navasota, Christopher Finke of Navasota, Sharon Robertson and husband J.R. of Hempstead, Jodi Rice and husband Casey of Navasota, Kodi Burdette of Madisonville, Brandon Finke and wife Jennifer of Fayetteville, and Sloan Finke and wife Paige of Iola, as well as dear friends and caregivers Brenda Henson and Gary Williams. She is also survived by numerous great-nephews and great-nieces, as well as a number of cousins and other relatives.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Gus H. and Alvina Finke, sister Barbara Finke, brothers Rayburn Finke and Loyd Finke, and sister-in-law Gail Finke.

Serving as pallbearers are her nephews and great-nephews, Christopher Finke, Brandon Finke, Sloan Finke, Tyler Hertel, Justin Falkenbury, Trevor Hertel, Tucker Hertel, Clay Oncken, Gage Burdette, Creed Rice, and Jaxson Finke. Honorary pallbearers are Todd Hertel, Edgar Oncken, J.R. Robertson, Casey Rice, Charles Falco, and Joe Fauth.

Margaret’s confirmation verse is “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life,” Rev. 2:10. No one but God could have picked a more perfect verse for Margee. It beautifully describes exactly how she lived her life.

Whenever your birthday or anniversary rolls around, always remember that Margee says, “Happy Birthday” or “Happy Anniversary.”