Margaret M. Tulgren, nee Matter, passed away peacefully surrounded by family, on September 15 th, 2025, at Oak Park Senior Living at the age of ninety-seven. She was a resident of Stillwater, MN.

Margaret was born to George Ferdinand and Evalena May Matter, nee Kohn, April 8th, 1928, at the family home, in Forrest Township, WI. Margaret was the eighth of nine children.

Preceded in death by her parents, husband; Dale Tulgren, siblings; Lorne, Kenneth, Earl, Delver, Curtis, Laurel Paulson, Elburta Wienke and Violet Rothe.

Survived by children; Vicki Nolan, Scott (Kimberly) Tulgren, Terri (Hans) Johnson, grandchildren; Meaghan Beach, Chelsea Walsh, Erik (Stephanie) Tulgren, Kirsten (Ryan) Mace, Erik (Samantha) Johnson, Kathryn Johnson, great- grandchildren; Tyler and Ella Beach, Jack and Will Tulgren, Everett Mace and many nieces, nephews and other family members.

Margaret attended Woodland School through the eighth grade and then Clear Lake High School, graduating in 1946.

During her junior and senior year and during the summers she was employed by Doughboy factory and packed C rations for the service men and women during the war.

After graduating high school, she moved to Minneapolis and worked at Sears Roebuck in the catalogue department running a sales listing machine. She retired from there in 1949.

Margaret and Dale were married September 3, 1949, at the Methodist Church in Deer Park, WI. They lived in Clear Lake until 1953 until Dale was transferred to Stillwater while working at Central Lumber.

Margaret and Dale were blessed with three children: Vicki, Scott, and Terri.

Dale and Margaret joined the First United Methodist Church in Stillwater in 1953 and were very active in the Church community. Dale was on the building committee for the current church and Margaret participated in creating crafts, pies, and baked goods to be sold at Boomtown, the annual fundraiser. She also assisted in serving many church dinners.

Margaret worked at the Stillwater Clinic for 19 years where she was the front desk receptionist as well as a scheduler. She loved her time at the clinic and made lifelong friends while working there.

Upon their retirement in 1990, Dale and Margaret enjoyed their time together at the family cabin on Big Marine with winters spent in Casa Grande, AZ, until they moved to Casa Grande full time in 2004, returning in 2014.

Margaret loved to entertain and was exceptionally good at it. Her Christmas feasts were legendary.

Margaret loved sports. The Twins and Vikings were regular TV viewing until they moved to AZ where the Cardinals joined the lineup. She had many fond memories of playing baseball as a child with her siblings back home on the farm. She often mentioned that with nine children in the family, they had their own baseball team.

Margaret loved to read, and she was an excellent seamstress. She made everything from clothing for herself and her children, doll clothes, draperies, and reupholstered the living room couch. She loved to embroider and was happy to be a member of the neighborhood sewing club in Stillwater. She would tackle any project and complete it to perfection. There was nothing she would not take on including zip-stripping all the woodwork in the Stillwater home and hanging sheetrock.

Margaret and Dale built a cabin together on Big Marine Lake 64 years ago. Many wonderful seasons were spent there boating, swimming, fishing, playing cards and having the occasional beer.

Margaret loved AZ! She loved the weather, loved taking long walks in the desert, loved to golf, and loved adventure even climbing Picacho Peak!

Margaret made friends easily no matter where she lived. She loved to laugh, and she was genuinely loved by all. Most importantly, Margaret loved her family, and she was happiest while spending time with them.

Visitation will be held at the First United Methodist Church in Stillwater on October 3rd from 10:00 – 11:00 am with the Celebration of Life at 11:00 am, luncheon to follow.

The family has asked that Memorials be made to the First United Methodist Church of Stillwater.

Thank you to Lakeview Hospital Hospice and to Oak Park Senior Living for their wonderful care.

A special thank you to her Lakeview Hospice nurse Abbey and to Chaplain Kellaher.

Allisa, Khloe and Hannah from OPSL, we cannot thank you enough for the wonderful care you gave our mother.