Charles & Margaret Oldham

NEILLSVILLE—Family was the most important part of Margaret Oldham’s life, relatives say.  And she had an extensive network.

Margaret Oldham, age 91, who died last Wednesday, left behind 13 children, 61 grandchildren and 102 great-grandchildren.  Family and friends gathered in Neillsville on Monday to say farewell to a woman whom they describe as very devoted and hardworking. 

"She raised a big family and dad worked hard all his life, and they were able to supply for us all," said Walter "Bunny" Oldham, age 69, of Neillsville.  "We never had a whole lot through the years, but they raised a big family and did it all on 40 acres of land out there."

Margaret married Charles Oldham on Nov. 17, 1931.  Charles farmed and held jobs out of the house and Margaret worked as a homemaker.  Charles died in 1979.

The entire family worked together and remained close—and that’s about all, their mother wanted, said Betty Ott age 67, of Ripon. 

"We had a good life, a very good life with mom and dad," she said.  "We probably didn’t have anything the kids have now, but in the long run I think we were much happier."

The family would pick berries to sell, money that would help buy groceries and school clothes for the children, Walter said.  Berries were especially important on Wednesdays.

"A lot of years ago, we always did a regular weekly trip to Humbird.  They had a free outdoor movie there," Walter said.  "That was a big thing.  That day we would pick berries and that evening we would all go to Humbird to the show.  Mom and dad would sell berries to the store and buy the groceries we needed.  Then everyone sat there and watched the free movie."

Not all 14 children would be in the car; but sometimes six or seven would find a way, said June Kluckhohn, age 59, of Neillsville.  "Some of the older ones were already gone, but it was still a lot of kids," she said.   "We all managed to sit in each other’s laps.  We were going to a free show.  We weren’t going to fight."

And when they were home, everyone sat down to dinner to enjoy mom’s extraordinary culinary talent.

"We used to do so much baking," Betty said.  "A neighbor would come in and mom and I would bake cookies and sweet rolls.  That was our ritual.  He would sit there and watch us, and when I would turn my back to take cookies out of the stove, he would swipe a cookie and laugh.  I would get so upset as a kid trying to bake.  He enjoyed that as much as mother and I enjoyed baking, I think."

Tim Oldham, age 44, of Greenwood especially remembers his grandmother’s cranberry relish.

And the bear story.

One time Margaret heard something on the porch.  Not being very tall, it was hard for her to see out of the window on the door, Tim said.

"She opened the door, and boom!  She bumped the bear right in the butt.  ‘Get out of here!’ she says, and the bear took off," he said.  "She shut the door right away and could see the bear run over the hill and back down towards the woods."

Tim’s daughter, Kara Rose, is great-grandchild 102.  She’ll be 8 months old today.  As a truck driver, he travels the country, but like his grandmother, Tim said he enjoys coming home.

"Grandma liked staying home," he said.  "She would go on vacation, but she always said the best thing was coming home.  She liked that."

Source: Marshfield News-Herald, Tuesday, June 29, 2004, Written by Matt Conn.

Notes

Obit: Oldham, Margaret (1912 - 2004)

Oldham, Mr./.Mrs. Chas. (11 Oct. 1934)