Margaret (Muggs) E. Hoeper, 89, of Austin, Minn., passed away peacefully on Monday, Sept. 24, 2012, at St. Mark’s Lutheran Home where she had been a resident since 2007.

Margaret was born Dec. 14, 1922, in Calmar, Iowa, to Gustav and Anna Marie (Wangsness) Moen and moved shortly thereafter to Albert Lea, Minnesota. She went to parochial school at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church and Albert Lea High School where she graduated in 1940.

On Sept. 19, 1942, she married Chester (Chet) M. Hoeper at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Albert Lea, Minn. They lived in Austin until May of 1943 when she moved back to Albert Lea when Chet was inducted in the United States Army. They moved back to Austin right after World War II ended. Margaret worked in the office of Land’O’Lakes and the Wilson Packing Co. in Albert Lea, and finally at Murphy Finance in Austin for 33 years, retiring in September 1981. She delivered Meals on Wheels for many years.

After her husband retired, after working 41 years at Geo. A. Hormel & Company in 1982, they enjoyed traveling, golfing, bowling and spending time with family and friends. Margaret was a very avid Twins fan and she enjoyed playing bridge and doing crossword puzzles.

She was a member of Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church in Austin and loved her Savior and music, especially hymns. Margaret was a member of Ramsey Golf Club for 15 years, and then at the Austin Country Club until December 1998, when she began to have ill health. She was an avid bridge player in the last years of her life.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Chester, who passed away in 2008; also her parents, her brother and sister-in-law, Lowell (Rita) Moen, her sister, Irene Moen, her brother-in-law, Robert Hoeper and his wife Betty.

Margaret is survived by her daughter, Judy (David) Bulger, Rochester, Minn.; four grandchildren, Robin (Peter) Dupey, Waukesha, Wis., Natalie (Harley) Terrill, Naples, Fla., Lisa (Kevin) Plank, Byron, Minn., Daniel (Darcy) Bulger, Kasson, Minn.; six great-grandchildren; brother-in-law Ralph (Helen) Hoeper; five nephews; and one niece.

A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 29, at Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church with Pastor David Fleischmann officiating. Interment will be at Grandview Cemetery. Visitation will be at the church for one hour before the service on Saturday. Clasen-Jordan Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

A special thank you to Dr. Julie Olson and the staff at St. Mark’s Lutheran Home for their kind and compassionate care over the past several years. Memorials are preferred to the donor’s choice.