Margaret Arenda Bergwerff of Oakdale passed away on March 5, 2024. Margaret was born in The Netherlands to parents Koos and Wilhelmina Drost on July 17, 1931.
Margaret’s parents had a grocery store and the family lived above it. Although her life was impacted by WWII, Margaret spent many happy hours with her family and friends.
Her childhood friend, Tiny, said that Margaret was so good at handball that the teacher allowed her (and Tiny) to play on the boys’ team at school. They also had an adventurous 150 km bike trip that took them from Stadskanaal to Teuge. After high school she worked for an architect where she learned to read blueprints.
In 1952 she along with her entire family immigrated to Bellflower, CA. A few years later she met her future husband, Fred. They married in 1956 and lived in Artesia, CA.
Their first child was born the following year. They realized their dream of owning a dairy in December of 1958 when they moved north to Danville, CA. They added three more children to the family during this time as Fred milked the cows and fed them etc. and Margaret fed the calves as well as taking care of the house and children. They truly had a partnership. In 1966 they moved to a dairy in Modesto where their fifth child was welcomed into the family. In 1969 the family landed in their permanent home/dairy in Oakdale, CA. In 1975, they built a new house that Margaret designed and where she spent the rest of her days.
Margaret enjoyed time spent with family and friends, reading, Wednesday games at church as well as Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune, and Saturday nights with Lawrence Welk.
Margaret was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Fred, sister Irene Meems, brother Fred Drost and two sons-in-law, Lon, and Roland.
She is survived by her children John (Brenda), Carla, Bill (LeeAnn), Fred (Lisa), and Emily (Kevin), 11 grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren, her brother Herman (Hennie) Drost, sisters Alice (Aleid) Bos and Wilma (Bill) Peloquin.
A Memorial service is scheduled for Wednesday March 20, 2024, at 11 a.m. at Escalon Christian Reformed Church.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Escalon CRC or Community Hospice Foundation, Modesto, CA.
The Escalon (Calif.) Times
March 13, 2024
