Marguerite "Maggie" Turk's Obituary
Marguerite ‘Maggie’ Turk, age 94 of Waupun, slipped peacefully away and was greeted by her beloved Virgil on April 15, 2026. Maggie was born on June 26, 1931, in Galena, IL, to Albert and Clara (Huschar) Weis. She grew up on the family farm on Stagecoach Road, the youngest of 4 children. It was not a life of ease or material excess, but one of close family ties and learning self-reliance, an attribute that would serve her well throughout her life. It was a time of romanticizing the cowboy life and she enjoyed dressing the part of the cowgirl and acquired a large collection of records of western music. Maggie attended Ford School near her home and, later, Galena High School, until family circumstances compelled her to quit. Her proudest achievement while a student there was being named the ‘Fastest Female Sprinter’, in 1945.
One day, two young men were working on the road that ran past Maggie’s house. She caught the eye of one of them and the rest is history. On November 9, 1950, she married Virgil Turk at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Galena. Together, they built a house in Black Earth, Wisconsin, where they lived for 27 years. She eventually worked there as a store clerk and bank teller. She was known for her reliability, honesty, and work ethic.
Maggie was never one to be idle. She was always cooking or working in her garden, trying to keep Virgil from rototilling her asparagus patch. She canned produce in her tiny kitchen on sweltering, late-summer days. She made delicious root beer that was loved by her family. She played softball on a women’s team. She chaperoned an annual group train trip to Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry for several years, something her kids and their friends anticipated eagerly. She instilled a love of sports in her son by organizing excursions to Milwaukee Braves games and taking her kids across the street on summer evenings to play baseball. She was a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan and could be heard cheering them on while listening to their games on a transistor radio. She waited a long time but, finally, in 2016, she was thrilled to see her beloved Cubbies win the World Series. Maggie was an expert seamstress and could knit and crochet. She learned the art of re-caning chairs and refinishing furniture. She passed these skills on to her daughter. She was determined to finish her high school education and she quietly, resolutely, and proudly obtained her GED. She and Virgil also took adult classes to learn German.
In 1977, Maggie and Virgil relocated to Waupun, WI. She was not enthusiastic to be uprooted from her home, friends, and job. In true Maggie-fashion, she doggedly accepted the change and found a job as a bank teller at the National Bank of Waupun, where she worked until retiring in 2000. She loved her new house and large yard and garden. She grew all kinds of vegetables, raspberries, strawberries, gooseberries, and the like. Here, again, she had to be ever-vigilant, blocking Virgil from decimating her asparagus. They enjoyed travelling, whether it was flying to Germany, car trips to many places, riding the motorcycle near and far, snowmobiling up north, or riding their bicycles around Waupun.
Maggie was an astute observer and willing assistant to Virgil with his many projects and home maintenance tasks. She knew how things worked in their home and could easily keep machinery and appliances maintained and running smoothly. This was an important attribute in her later life. With determination, she learned to use computers (Virgil called them ‘confusers’ and wanted nothing to do with them), laptops, printers, and cell phones and kept up with technology until her final days.
Church was of the highest importance in her life. She never missed Sunday or Holy Day Mass until the Covid pandemic but continued to follow broadcast services. Her faith carried her through difficult times and she spent time every day quietly reading her prayer cards or saying her rosary. She was a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Waupun until her death. She enjoyed a good Lenten fish fry.
Maggie was widowed in June, 2018, and it was devastating for her. As she always did when things were difficult, she squared her shoulders and began fashioning a life without Virgil. She continued to live in their home and was kept company by her kitties, Puss and Boots. Maggie enjoyed sitting by her front window, doing word puzzles and watching life in her neighborhood, especially people walking by with their kids and pets. She traded in Virgil’s large John Deere lawn tractor for one that was more Maggie-sized and continued to care for her large yard. She loved wheeling around on that tractor, cutting her grass, picking up leaves, and hauling things in the wagon. She rigorously maintained the John Deere, changing the oil herself and greasing the fittings on schedule. Until a few years ago, she continued to clear her driveway and sidewalks with her snowblower. She built a snowman every chance she had. The house on Newton Avenue will not be the same without Maggie’s snowmen.
Maggie is survived by her children; son, Brian (Sharon) Turk, of Springfield, IL, and daughter, Yvonne (Terry) Stults, of Waupaca, WI. She is further survived by grandchildren, Matthew Turk, Kristina Turk, Kurt Buchholz, Heidi Buchholz, Kathleen Bouressa, and Adrian Bouress; great-grandchildren, Brynn Buchholz, Avery Schmidt, Hayden Schmidt, and Bailey Schmidt; sister-in-law, Carma Weis; and many nieces and nephews and their extended families. Finally, she is survived by her beloved cat, Rosie.
Maggie was preceded in death by her husband of 67 years, Virgil, parents Albert and Clara Weis, granddaughter Andrea, sisters Coletta Schultz and Helen Danz, brother, Clarence Weis, brothers-in-law, John Schultz and Gilbert Danz, and numerous kitties.
Maggie loved her Chicago teams: the Cubs, White Sox, Bears, Bulls, and Blackhawks and was loyal to them, win or lose.
A Mass and reception will be held at a later date.
Memorials may be made to the Waupun Animal Shelter or an animal rescue of your choice.
The Holly Funeral Home of Waupaca, WI is assisting the family with arrangements.
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