OSAGE CITY, Kan. – Margaret L. DeBaun, 94, formerly of Osage City, Kan., passed away Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2017, at The Arboretum, in Menomonee Falls, Wis., where she had received exceptional care over the past eight years. She previously resided in Osage City for more than 40 years. Margaret L. Allison was born Dec. 25, 1922, in Topeka, Kan., the daughter of John and Elizabeth (Lacy) Allison.
Margaret graduated from Washburn Rural High School in 1940 as salutatorian of her class, and attended Dodd’s secretarial school.
She was joined in marriage to S. Burton “Burt” DeBaun, of Wakarusa, Kan., on Jan. 17, 1943, in Champaign, Ill., where he was in a Navy training school during WWII. To this union three boys were born, Robert, Thomas and John. Burt preceded her in death on May 27, 1995.
Early in her career, Margaret worked for Capper Publication and Santa Fe, in Topeka, and then with Pacific South Phone Co., Railway Express and Long Beach Telegram, in California during the “war years”. Beginning with the arrival of the first of three children and Burt’s employment with International Harvester Co., she became a wonderful stay-at-home mom. For the next 25 years, Margaret orchestrated nine employment related moves for her family to new homes (schools, health care, friends, etc.) twice in Topeka, at Marysville, Kan., twice to Kansas City, Kan., St. Joseph, Mo., twice to Amarillo, Texas, and Western Springs, Ill.. She enjoyed fishing, hiking, arrowhead hunting, yard work, landscaping, decorating, and any other activity with her family. None of her sons or future grandchildren ever lacked for love, encouragement, nourishment, or discipline when needed.
In 1965, Margaret and Burt purchased a farm equipment dealership and moved to Osage City. She was the vice-president and corporate secretary for many of the next 30 years of their company, which sold after their retirement and Burt’s death. Margaret remained in her Osage City home for another 14 years before moving to the senior care facility in Wisconsin, near her eldest son’s family.
Survivors include two sons, John H. (Gayle) DeBaun, of Brookfield, Wis., and Thomas (Laura) DeBaun, Osage City; a daughter-in-law Jane (Lundgren) DeBaun, the wife of Robert, of Kildeer, Ill.; and seven grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
Margaret was also preceded in death by her parents; a son, Robert DeBaun, in 2010; and a sister, Doris Emerson.
Funeral service will be at 2 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 9, at First United Methodist Church, 219 S. Sixth St., Osage City. Family will receive friends an hour before service. Burial will follow at Bushong Cemetery, Bushong, Kan.
Memorial contributions may be made to Kanas 4-H Foundation or Osage City United Methodist Church, sent in care of VanArsdale Funeral Chapel, 107 N. Sixth St., Osage City, KS 66523. Condolences may by expressed at vanarsdalefs.com.
