Madeline (Schwerdtfeger) Tatro obituary: Madeline (Schwerdtfeger) Tatro's Obituary, Dove Topeka
In Memory Of
Madeline Marie (Schwerdtfeger) Tatro
1930 - 2024
In Memory Of
Madeline Marie (Schwerdtfeger) Tatro
1930 - 2024
Madeline Marie Tatro (Schwerdtfeger), a longtime resident of Ellsworth, former resident of Topeka, and recent resident of Lawrence, passed away Friday, May 10, 2024 at the age of 93.
She was born September 29, 1930, in Lincoln, Kansas, the daughter of Magnus “Max” and Leona (Holmer) Baasch. She graduated from Vesper High School in 1948.
At the age of 13, she delivered a neighbor’s baby, as they were waiting for the doctor to show up. In her teens she worked as a switch board telephone operator and a nurse’s aide. After marriage she was a cook at the Ellsworth High School and following that she was the first employee at the Ellsworth Dairy Queen owned by her friend and neighbor, Mona Guilfoyle. When Elkan first opened in Ellsworth she was a section supervisor until they closed in 1982. Her final employment was at the Ellsworth Medical Clinic, serving several doctors as an insurance clerk for 17 years. On her retirement day celebration, May 11, 1999, she was surprised by a marriage proposal from Robert E. Tatro. Following her retirement, she continued to help elderly people in her home with medical billing questions.
Madeline married Harold Schwerdtfeger on August 15, 1948 in Ellsworth County; he preceded her in death on October 10, 1997. She then married Robert E. Tatro on February 29, 2000 in Waco, Texas; he preceded her in death on December 25, 2019. Survivors include her daughters, Sharon Lorfing of Kansas City, Kansas, Patricia Pelland (Jack) of Topeka, Marlene Witthaus (Jim) of Overland Park, and Cathy Cheney (Franklin Keith) of Apex, North Carolina; step-children, Lucy Turner of Salina, Cora Sue Davis (Phil) of Salina, and Robert T. Tatro of Glasco; grandchildren Greg, Kevin, Erik, Melissa, Chris, Lindsey, Justin, and Lauren; 20 great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; her brother Norman Baasch of Houston, Texas, and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; both husbands; and her brothers Richard Baasch and Johnny Baasch.
Madeline enjoyed gardening especially her peonies and would sell the cut buds during Memorial Weekend to the community, baking pies with the rhubarb, cherry, and apricots all harvested from her back yard, bowling, square dancing, meeting her friends; Doris Svoboda, Mildred Janzen, Debbie Habiger and others for coffee at her house and local cafés, and being a mom.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, PO Box 6704, Hagerstown, MD 21741.
To share a memory of Madeline or leave a special message for her family, please click the Share Memories button above.
She was born September 29, 1930, in Lincoln, Kansas, the daughter of Magnus “Max” and Leona (Holmer) Baasch. She graduated from Vesper High School in 1948.
At the age of 13, she delivered a neighbor’s baby, as they were waiting for the doctor to show up. In her teens she worked as a switch board telephone operator and a nurse’s aide. After marriage she was a cook at the Ellsworth High School and following that she was the first employee at the Ellsworth Dairy Queen owned by her friend and neighbor, Mona Guilfoyle. When Elkan first opened in Ellsworth she was a section supervisor until they closed in 1982. Her final employment was at the Ellsworth Medical Clinic, serving several doctors as an insurance clerk for 17 years. On her retirement day celebration, May 11, 1999, she was surprised by a marriage proposal from Robert E. Tatro. Following her retirement, she continued to help elderly people in her home with medical billing questions.
Madeline married Harold Schwerdtfeger on August 15, 1948 in Ellsworth County; he preceded her in death on October 10, 1997. She then married Robert E. Tatro on February 29, 2000 in Waco, Texas; he preceded her in death on December 25, 2019. Survivors include her daughters, Sharon Lorfing of Kansas City, Kansas, Patricia Pelland (Jack) of Topeka, Marlene Witthaus (Jim) of Overland Park, and Cathy Cheney (Franklin Keith) of Apex, North Carolina; step-children, Lucy Turner of Salina, Cora Sue Davis (Phil) of Salina, and Robert T. Tatro of Glasco; grandchildren Greg, Kevin, Erik, Melissa, Chris, Lindsey, Justin, and Lauren; 20 great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; her brother Norman Baasch of Houston, Texas, and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; both husbands; and her brothers Richard Baasch and Johnny Baasch.
Madeline enjoyed gardening especially her peonies and would sell the cut buds during Memorial Weekend to the community, baking pies with the rhubarb, cherry, and apricots all harvested from her back yard, bowling, square dancing, meeting her friends; Doris Svoboda, Mildred Janzen, Debbie Habiger and others for coffee at her house and local cafés, and being a mom.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, PO Box 6704, Hagerstown, MD 21741.
To share a memory of Madeline or leave a special message for her family, please click the Share Memories button above.
Madeline Marie Tatro (Schwerdtfeger), a longtime resident of Ellsworth, former resident of Topeka, and recent resident of Lawrence, passed away Friday, May 10, 2024 at the age of 93.
She was born September 29, 1930, in Lincoln, Kansas, the daughter of Magnus “Max” and Leona (Holmer) Baasch. She graduated from Vesper High School in 1948.
At the age of 13, she delivered a neighbor’s baby, as they were waiting for the doctor to show up. In her teens she worked as a switch board telephone operator and a nurse’s aide. After marriage she was a cook at the Ellsworth High School and following that she was the first employee at the Ellsworth Dairy Queen owned by her friend and neighbor, Mona Guilfoyle. When Elkan first opened in Ellsworth she was a section supervisor until they closed in 1982. Her final employment was at the Ellsworth Medical Clinic, serving several doctors as an insurance clerk for 17 years. On her retirement day celebration, May 11, 1999, she was surprised by a marriage proposal from Robert E. Tatro. Following her retirement, she continued to help elderly people in her home with medical billing questions.
Madeline married Harold Schwerdtfeger on August 15, 1948 in Ellsworth County; he preceded her in death on October 10, 1997. She then married Robert E. Tatro on February 29, 2000 in Waco, Texas; he preceded her in death on December 25, 2019. Survivors include her daughters, Sharon Lorfing of Kansas City, Kansas, Patricia Pelland (Jack) of Topeka, Marlene Witthaus (Jim) of Overland Park, and Cathy Cheney (Franklin Keith) of Apex, North Carolina; step-children, Lucy Turner of Salina, Cora Sue Davis (Phil) of Salina, and Robert T. Tatro of Glasco; grandchildren Greg, Kevin, Erik, Melissa, Chris, Lindsey, Justin, and Lauren; 20 great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; her brother Norman Baasch of Houston, Texas, and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; both husbands; and her brothers Richard Baasch and Johnny Baasch.
Madeline enjoyed gardening especially her peonies and would sell the cut buds during Memorial Weekend to the community, baking pies with the rhubarb, cherry, and apricots all harvested from her back yard, bowling, square dancing, meeting her friends; Doris Svoboda, Mildred Janzen, Debbie Habiger and others for coffee at her house and local cafés, and being a mom.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, PO Box 6704, Hagerstown, MD 21741.
To share a memory of Madeline or leave a special message for her family, please click the Share Memories button above.
She was born September 29, 1930, in Lincoln, Kansas, the daughter of Magnus “Max” and Leona (Holmer) Baasch. She graduated from Vesper High School in 1948.
At the age of 13, she delivered a neighbor’s baby, as they were waiting for the doctor to show up. In her teens she worked as a switch board telephone operator and a nurse’s aide. After marriage she was a cook at the Ellsworth High School and following that she was the first employee at the Ellsworth Dairy Queen owned by her friend and neighbor, Mona Guilfoyle. When Elkan first opened in Ellsworth she was a section supervisor until they closed in 1982. Her final employment was at the Ellsworth Medical Clinic, serving several doctors as an insurance clerk for 17 years. On her retirement day celebration, May 11, 1999, she was surprised by a marriage proposal from Robert E. Tatro. Following her retirement, she continued to help elderly people in her home with medical billing questions.
Madeline married Harold Schwerdtfeger on August 15, 1948 in Ellsworth County; he preceded her in death on October 10, 1997. She then married Robert E. Tatro on February 29, 2000 in Waco, Texas; he preceded her in death on December 25, 2019. Survivors include her daughters, Sharon Lorfing of Kansas City, Kansas, Patricia Pelland (Jack) of Topeka, Marlene Witthaus (Jim) of Overland Park, and Cathy Cheney (Franklin Keith) of Apex, North Carolina; step-children, Lucy Turner of Salina, Cora Sue Davis (Phil) of Salina, and Robert T. Tatro of Glasco; grandchildren Greg, Kevin, Erik, Melissa, Chris, Lindsey, Justin, and Lauren; 20 great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; her brother Norman Baasch of Houston, Texas, and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; both husbands; and her brothers Richard Baasch and Johnny Baasch.
Madeline enjoyed gardening especially her peonies and would sell the cut buds during Memorial Weekend to the community, baking pies with the rhubarb, cherry, and apricots all harvested from her back yard, bowling, square dancing, meeting her friends; Doris Svoboda, Mildred Janzen, Debbie Habiger and others for coffee at her house and local cafés, and being a mom.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, PO Box 6704, Hagerstown, MD 21741.
To share a memory of Madeline or leave a special message for her family, please click the Share Memories button above.