Marjorie Schrag
September 25, 1933 - April 28, 2020
Marjorie Lea Schrag, 86, passed away on Tuesday (April 28,
2020) at the Schowalter Villa in Hesston, Ks.
She was born on September 25th, 1933 in Lenexa, KS – adopted
at six weeks by Arthur and Edna Waltner of Pretty Prairie (Hutchinson),
KS. She attended a one-room school house
outside of Pretty Prairie and spoke English and German fluently as a
child. Marge graduated from Pretty
Prairie High School and went on to graduate from Bethel College in 1952 as a
Music Major with an emphasis on Home Economics.
In 1953 – 1955 Marge did her 1W service in Michigan and
attended Eastern Michigan College in Ypsilanti, Michigan. She worked in the hospital/mental hospital
and was married to Dean Schrag. Their first child, Meribeth was born in
Michigan during their service. Gordon, their second child was born on the farm
in Pretty Prairie and Steven – born in Newton.
Marge took time off to have children and be in the home
through 1960 until she went back to school at Bethel College. Her dedication was to family and the Bethel
College Mennonite Church, where she worked with the children’s program and
headed the music committee. She went on
to become a Social Work Major and graduated in 1975, doing her practicum at
Meadowlark Homestead. She attended
Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS.
In 1977 she attended the University of Kansas, Lawrence, and graduated
with a Masters Degree in Social Work in 1979.
Marge became KU’s Practicum Instructor of the year for two years. She
did her practicum work at Prairie View and Youthville. She made many close
friends throughout the state during her years of work. She obtained her ACSW
and LSCSW. She retired from Youthville after thirty years of working all over
Kansas doing Family Based Services, Associate Vice President, grant
participation, and privatization project work for two regions in Kansas as well
as being Ombudsman, including intensive family therapy and direct services to
children in need – care and concern and acceptance of behavior - tirelessly and
passionately.
Some highlights of her career include completing coursework
for her Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Therapy at the Bowen Family Center at
Georgetown University in Washington, DC, where she was awarded the (CWLA) Child
Welfare League of America’s Child Welfare Worker in 1994 at the National
Conference. Marge was involved in developing home-based treatments for families
for several years, including the Northwest Region of Kansas (Hays, Colby, Great
Bend); as well as direct services in the Kansas City area. Many family
testimonies were written and sent in regards to “Marge making their house a
home and the people who were living in it, a unified family – giving hope where
there was none.” She found openness and cooperation when many professionals who
said it couldn’t be done – and was nonjudgmental. Working with the parents
proved to be successful along with outside supervision. This five-year pilot
project, along with trading her personal vehicle with her minivan in order to
transport children and travel Kansas -
during the evenings and weekends as well as putting herself at risk in
unfamiliar homes, created the high standard of Social Work practice which continues
in models to this day and has helped bridge the gap between residential
treatment and parental involvement.
Marge withstood many health matters which continued to take
her quality of life away. In her later years, she resided in home health care
at Showalter Villa, Hesston due to complications with health and immobility.
She continued to extend herself to family, friends and caregivers with a strong
fight for life and hope.
Marge is survived by her three children, Meribeth (Jon)
Miller of North Newton; Gordon (Leann) Schrag of Highlands Ranch, CO; and
Steven (Beth) Schrag of Dallas. She also has twelve grandchildren: Allyson
(Brandon) Witham of Grand Junction, CO; Hannah (David) McBeth of Newton,
Chelsea Hahn of Prairie Village, KS, Natalya (Noah) Sparks of KC MO, Lauren
(Brian) Beede of Castle Pines, CO, Makenzie (Alex) Hield) of Erie, CO,
Gabrielle Schrag of Highlands Ranch, CO, Eli Schrag of San Diego, CA; Simon
Schrag of Dallas; Ben Schrag of Dallas; and Matthew and Samuel Schrag of
Dallas; and eight great-grandchildren: Jonah Kim, Finn Witham, Lillian, Justin
and Brenden McBeth, Grayson and Avery Beede and Hudson Hield.
Stan Eitzen also precedes her in death as being her closest
feeling of having a sibling in her childhood home on the farm in Pretty Prairie
– as well as many cousins and a loving extended family and friends.
A memorial service will be held at the Showalter Villa
Chapel in August.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to
Ember Hope (formerly United Methodist Youthville campus) or Showalter Villa.
Contributions may be sent to Broadway Colonial, 120 E. Broadway, Newton, KS
67114.
Arrangements are by Broadway Colonial Funeral Home, Newton.
