Margaret Ida Dahms

Sept. 27, 1921 - Dec. 10, 2009

ARAPAHOE -- Margaret Ida Dahms, 88, of Arapahoe, died on Thursday (Dec. 10, 2009) at the C.A. Mues Good Samaritan Center in Arapahoe.

She was born Sept. 27, 1921, north of Arapahoe, to Karl F.J. and Ida (Hartman) Wendland, the 10th child of 12. She was raised north of Arapahoe, and went to Immanuel Lutheran School.

She grew up north of Arapahoe and went to Immanuel Lutheran School. She was baptized on Oct. 23, 1924, and confirmed on May 17, 1936, at Immanuel Lutheran Church.

Her mother died when she was 16, and she took over being the family caregiver, doing all of the household chores for her father and her many brothers and sisters.

On Feb. 8, 1942, at Blue Hill, she married Leonard A. Dahms. They made their home there and she raised chickens that she cleaned and sold to the workers of the Ammunition Depot at Hastings. In 1960 they moved to Arapahoe, and in the mid 1970s bought the Dairy Queen in Arapahoe, renaming it Dahms Drive-Inn. She ran the drive-inn for more than 40 years. After retirement, she moved to Prairie Pines, Good Samaritan Assisted Living, and later to C.A. Mues Good Samaritan Center, all in Arapahoe. She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church, of Arapahoe, where she taught Sunday School. She was also a member of the Lutheran Women's Mission League.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Leonard on Dec 9, 1977, son, Dennis Dahms in an automobile accident in 1971, brothers Carl, Max, Leonard, Martin, George and Victor Wendland; sisters, Henrietta Warner, Emma Monter, Elvera Bloch and Bertha Kalthoff

Survivors include her son, Douglas Dahms and wife, Mary, of Arvada, Colo.; daughter, Mary and husband, Albert Connelly, of Ringwood, N.J.; sister, Helene Dickmeyer of Arapahoe; and four grandchildren.

Funeral services will be Saturday at 1:30 p.m., at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Arapahoe, with Vicar James Moshier, officiating. Burial will be at the Arapahoe Cemetery.

Viewing and visitation is today from 10 a.m. - 8 p.m., at Wenburg Funeral Home in Arapahoe.

Condolences and personal reflections may be sent to wenburgfuneralhome.com

Wenburg Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.