Margaret Louise Lander

Marge, Margie, Bootsie or Mamo, she answered to all, was born in Springfield, Missouri, on September 20, 1926, and left this world to be held in God's holy arms on Wednesday, December 22, 2010.

By the age of 15, Marge assumed the role of mother to her siblings when she lost both her parents. She later moved everyone to Kansas City, Missouri to live with her aunt and uncle, Lucille and Michael O'Reilly. She graduated in 1945 from Bishop Hogan High School in Kansas City, Missouri. She was a determined and strong willed German-Irish Catholic who worked hard and received her degree as a Registered Nurse from the former St. Mary's Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri. She worked as a nurse for the Union Pacific Railroad and there, in 1950 met her husband, Richard E. Lander. They married in 1951 and moved to Overland Park, Kansas, where she lived until the fall of 2007.

Marge was active in her church, St. Pius X Catholic Church, and belonged to various clubs and held many volunteer positions within St. Pius X School and church. She worked as a nurse for Donald J. Smith, M.D. for many years. During those early years, she was on the ground floor in organizing and carrying petitions to build Shawnee Mission Medical Center. She was a very kind and generous lady who was devoted to her family, the Blessed Virgin and the rosary. Marge always felt that being a grandmother was the ‘GRAND PRIZE' for being a good mother.

She is survived by her only son, Rick Lander and wife, Pam; her five daughters, Cathy Hare and husband, Bob, Peggy Lander, Jane Ferber and husband, Scott, Julie Burger and husband, Mark and Jill Darbyshire all of Shawnee Mission, Kansas. Marge was blessed with nineteen grandchildren and five great grandchildren. She also leaves a sister, Helen Byrne of Kansas City, Missouri. She was preceded in death by her husband of 57 years, Dick Lander who passed away in March of this year; and by two brothers, Pat and Joseph Bollinger.

The family would like to thank Mission Springs Assisted Living and Overland Park Place Skilled Nursing for the kind and generous care received by their mother during the past few years.

In Marge's memory and her love of children and family life, in lieu of flowers the family would appreciate any donations in Marge's name to Catholic Charities of Kansas, 2220 Central Avenue, Kansas City, Kansas 66102.

Visitation and Funeral Service

All services will be held at St. Pius X Catholic Church at 55th and Woodson in Mission, Kansas. The visitation will be held from 4:00-6:00 p.m., Sunday, December 26, 2010, with a Rosary at 5:30 p.m. Funeral Mass will be at 10:00 a.m., Monday, December 27, 2010. Marge's final resting place will be along side the love of her life at Resurrection Cemetery in Lenexa, Kansas.