Margaret Drozd

Margaret Drozd fulfilled many roles throughout her long lifetime; she was a daughter, a sister, and a dedicated employee, however, to Margaret there was no greater calling and no greater gift than that of being a wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Margaret was a country girl through and through, even teaching her husband a thing or two about country life, and she was no stranger to hard work either. Margarets foundation was firmly rooted both in the Christian faith and the importance of family, her life a reflection of the beliefs that were engraved upon her heart. The dawn of the 1920s brought with it a myriad of introductions to new and different works within the art world. Early modernism and the works of George Luks abounded as well as the movement known as Dadaism, which included the works of Georgia OKeeffe. Ernest and Marie (Swanson) Flodeen, of Blackduck, Minnesota experienced a blessed change within their own family as they welcomed their first daughter, Margaret, on December 25, 1920. Joining older brothers Arnie, James, and Maynard, it was no surprise that this little girl was the apple of her Daddys eye. Margaret was raised in the family home in Blackduck, located in the northern portion of the state, in a loving environment by hard-working parents who greatly valued family time as well. As the only girl in her family, Margarets tendency to be a bit spoiled did not go unnoticed by her brothers so perhaps in a bit of playful revenge, they would often entice Margaret into some rather questionable adventures. There were the times that they would hook their sweet little sister up to a pulley and fling her into the hayloft, which surprisingly never caused any injuries. During the cold Minnesota winters, the boys would connect a pole to a sled and then hang a blanket on the pole, much like a sailboat, and they went whipping across the frozen ground. Another time, encouraged by her brothers to race on a bobsled, Margaret fell off and cut her lip. Although her brothers were a bit tough on her at times, they also protected her in the tender way that big brothers are often so famous for. During the winter her brother James would cross country ski to school with Margaret riding piggy back. The school was a great distance away from her home so eventually Margaret and two other girls rented a room near the school and then returned home to their families on weekends. The girls had only one bed to share so they all fit by laying perpendicular to the headboard. During her high school years, Margaret was a good student, first chair violin, and played basketball, too. A couple of years after graduating from high school, Margaret attended a dance where she noticed a particular young man that was a good dancer. Unbeknownst to Margaret, the young man, Walter Drozd, noticed her as well. As fate would have it, the two finally ended up dancing the night away together and a love story which would span nearly 60 years had begun. After having fallen deeply in love, the couple became husband and wife on May 22, 1942. Although Walter was a city boy, the couple moved to the countryside in Minnesota as the young bride was a country girl. Margaret taught her new husband what country life was all about, showing him how to trap fish, pump water, and farm, too. It didnt take long before Walter shared his wifes passion for the country and also the life they established there together. The young couple soon opened up their hearts and home to welcome three daughters: Kathryn, Linda, and Janet. Margaret dedicated herself to caring for her daughters and found the perfect way to balance showing her daughters love with being firm when needed. She taught her daughters the importance of morals and the values that helped shape the adults they one day became. Margaret was always there for her family in whatever way they needed and together, their family knew how to have fun, too. They spent family time together, enjoyed vacations, and times creating precious memories at their cottage on the Muskegon River. Margaret was a gifted seamstress and always made sure that her children sported unique Halloween costumes that she made from scratch, often sewing on beads by hand or adding just the right touches to complete the desired look. In addition to her roles as a wife and mother, Margaret also entered the work force when their family relocated to Muskegon, Michigan. She worked as a dental technician for Dr. James and Dr. John Nolan, DDS for 25 years and then for Dr. Hegedus and Dr. Keever as a lab technician until she retired in 1982. She was a dedicated employee with a strong work ethic. With her leisure time, Margaret enjoyed a variety of interests that she pursued as often as she could. She was a talented artist who tried her hand at numerous forms of art including both watercolor and oil paintings, quilting, and wood carving to name a few. Margaret was a charter member of Trudy Collinge China Painters where she enjoyed sharing her passion with other artists and she also was a member of the Vikings. Margaret was a gifted cook who was especially known for her cabbage rolls along with various other dishes that her family loved. She spoke fluent Swedish and could often be heard exclaiming "Uff da!" Later in life, Margaret was thrilled to become a grandmother, and she delighted in Charles, Kellie, Diana, and Melissa, spending as much time with them as she could. She not only fostered close relationships with them, but she also impressed upon their hearts the values that she taught her own children, helping shape yet another generation. More recently, Margaret was blessed to become a great-grandmother and she tenderly welcomed Kyle (15), Aliea (12), Erin (4), Dakota (2 3/4), and Griffin (4 months). Whether she was creating a work of art, enjoying the summer sun at her cottage, or sharing the laughter of a great-grandchild, Margaret Drozd carried herself with compassion, tenderness, and generosity. Margaret was the happiest when she was surrounded by her beloved family and she valued a house that looked lived in. To her, such a home was a reflection of the life and love shared by a family that cherished their relationships with each other more than any other pursuit or ambition. Margaret created memories with her loved ones which they will forever treasure. She will be dearly missed. Margaret Drozd died Sunday, May 17, 2009. Margarets family includes her daughters, Kathryn (Charles) Hammond of Muskegon, Linda (Bill) McDonald of ID, Janet Fujita of MA; grandchildren, Charles (Anne) Murphy, Kellie Murphy, Diana (Dave) Son & Melissa (Mike) Sweet; great grandchildren, Erin Murphy, Kyle & Aliea Son, Dakota & Griffin Sweet. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Walter in 2001; brothers, Arnie, James & Maynard Flodeen. Funeral services will be held on Friday, May 22, 2009, 2:00 p.m. at Forest Park Covenant Church with Rev. Paul Bengtson officiating. Friends may meet with the family at the reception following the service. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com, where you can leave a favorite memory or make a memorial contribution to Hackley VNS Hospice or American Cancer Society.