Margaret Arline Hersh

Margaret Arline "Margie" Hersh, 86, of Topeka, passed away October 1, 2019 at Midland Hospice House, after an extended illness.

She was born December 18, 1932 in Tracer, KS, the fifth child of nine of George & Alice Sloyer and spent her whole life in Kansas.

Margaret attended schools in Topeka and Silver Lake, graduating from Seaman High School in 1951. She was active in band and often spoke of her great fun playing basketball in school. Margaret won an award for never missing a day of school, from elementary through high school.

In 1951, Margaret married her high school sweetheart, George "Keith" Hersh, and they wasted no time in starting a family; which eventually grew to four: Barbara was born in 1952, George Jr in 1954, Gayle in 1956, and then, Timothy in 1961.

Margaret was a working mom through much of her life. After starting her family, she worked in a variety of jobs over the next 45 years. Margaret worked at several companies until she found her calling as a nurse after graduating from Kaw Valley Technical School in 1978. She spent most of her career as an Emergency Room nurse, at Stormont-Vail Hospital in Topeka. Later, Margaret worked with a doctor's group that ran the Stormont-Vail Emergency Room, headed by Dr. George Grigsby. She retired after working for Dr. Shin-Fu Hsu, an ENT specialist in Topeka.

In their spare time, Keith & Margaret ran Zippy Concessions, a company that provided refreshments at local events and ball parks.

Margaret was a lifelong member of what began as Central Avenue Christian Church in Topeka and moved to the Menninger property north of Soldier Creek in the 1960's; becoming Northland Christian Church. She was active in the church choir, served as a Deaconess and helped manage the reception group that served grieving families after funerals.

Keith and Margaret both loved playing cards with their group of friends. She was also a member of Beta Sigma Phi sorority. Margaret loved to travel and was always intrigued with games of chance, participating as often as she could.

Survivors include her beloved husband, Keith Hersh; daughters, Barbara Hersh of Topeka, KS, and Gayle Clampitt of Dallas, TX; sons George Hersh Jr (wife Patty), of Lenexa, KS and Tim Hersh (wife Denise) of Topeka, KS; 8 grandchildren, 13 great grandchildren, and sisters, Rose Hill of Louisburg, KS, and Carol Benson of Rancho Mirage, CA , and brother, Frank Sloyer of Hutchinson, KS.

She was preceded in death by her parents, George & Alice Sloyer; brothers, David, Paul and Irvin "Bus" Sloyer; and sisters Virginia Cox and Calvena Wilson.

Visitation with be held on October 3, 2019, at Dove Funeral Chapel Southwest, 3700 SW Wanamaker Road, Topeka, KS, 66610, from 6-8 pm.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at 11 am, on October 4, 2019, at Northland Christian Church, 3102 NW Topeka Blvd, Topeka, KS, 66617. A reception will follow at the Church Fellowship Hall.

Flowers can be sent to Dove Southwest, or, in lieu of flowers, the family asks you give a memorial contribution in her name to Midland Hospice House, 200 SW Frazier Circle, Topeka, KS 66606.

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