Cover photo for Margo Daws Pontius's Obituary
Margo Daws Pontius Profile Photo
1932 Margo 2008

Margo Daws Pontius

December 30, 1932 — October 31, 2008

PONTIUS, MARGO DAWS

Margo Daws Pontius, age 75, died quietly in her sleep at Aurora Medical Center in Oshkosh on October 31, 2008. Margo was born on December 30, 1932, in Rockford, Illinois. She was the daughter of William Lambert Daws and Emida Fischer Daws. Margo and her parents moved to Beloit, Wisconsin, when Margo started kindergarten. She graduated 7th from the top of 250 in her class from Beloit Memorial High School. Margo was Secretary of her class and a member of the Student Council. She was elected to the National Honor Society, Quill and Scroll, ROTC-Sponsor and editor of the Yearbook. In 1951 she received the Award Winning Prize for writing the first National Bumper Sticker, “Be Alert—Don't Get Hurt!” Margo attended the Madison General Hospital School of Nursing and spent 6 months in Nursing at Cook County Hospital in Chicago, Illinois. She graduated top in her class and worked for 5 years as a Public Health Nurse for the Madison Visiting Nurse Service. Margo married Alan Pontius after his discharge from the Army and the Korean Conflict. They were married for 27 years. She worked as a School Nurse for the Beloit Public Schools, City Nurse for Neenah, Wisconsin, and Outagamie County Nurse in The rural areas around Appleton, Wisconsin, for many years. Margo returned to the University while working full-time to obtain her advanced nursing degree. She graduated Magna Cum Laude and became the Director of the Home Care in Duluth, Minnesota. Margo was an active Lifetime member of the American Nurses Association and the National Honor Society for Nurses (Sigma Theta Tau). She published nursing research on “The Non-Compliant Diabetic.” Margo was a member of the Jail Task Force to plan for better health for county inmates, as well as protection for the jailer against inmates with HIV. She received a plaque from the Mayor of Neenah for reaching—through publicity and immunization—the most pre-school children in the state, protecting them from the measles epidemic. In 1973 she was a finalist in the Mrs. America contest. Margo was a lifetime member and active volunteer for snow-shoeing for families at the 1, 000 Island Nature Reserve in Kaukauna, Wisconsin. With her 40-year hobby of making cornshuck dolls, she gave over 1, 000 lectures and 200 all-day workshops for both men and women in 3 states; and taught hundreds of children in school “Pioneer Days” the art of cornshuckery. Margo published two books and then 10 four-page national magazine articles on “American Cornshuckery in Action.” She was selected as 1 of 4 outstanding Great Lakes Crafters for the Wisconsin Bi-Centennial and was asked to have a display at the White House, and received a plaque from President Ford for this. She kept it over her ironing board “to inspire her to greater things!” Margo won first place from the Wisconsin Arts Board and she was thrilled to have a one-man show of over 100 of her Victorian dolls of all ages on display at the Oshkosh Public Museum. After 45 years in nursing, Margo renovated a large Colonial-style home and enjoyed running “The Maple Syrup Ranch & Bed and Breakfast” near Hayward, Wisconsin, having guests come from all over the world for six years. She moved to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, in 1998, to live near her son Jim and his family, and her son Bob and his family in Appleton, Wisconsin. Each year, for a month over Christmas, she spent with her daughter, Ann, and her family in Vermont. In Oshkosh, she was a Lifetime member and volunteer for the Oshkosh Senior Center. Margo was an active member of LIR at UWO. She taught the Life-Story writing classes each semester for “Learning In Retirement” at UWO and wrote and published two books: “There Are Thousands To Tell You…..” and “The Interesting Changes in Nursing in the last 45 years!” Margo was also an active member and volunteer of the Winnebago County Historical Society, the Twentieth Century Club, Timber-Toppers Square Dance Club, a 50-year member of HCE (Homemakers), and as the Winnebago County HCE Cultural Arts Chairman for 4 years. With her lapidary interests, she was an active volunteer and member of the Oshkosh Earth Resources Club. Margo served as a 6-year member of the Winnebago County Commission of Aging. She was an active lifelong member of the United Methodist Church—wherever she resided. Margo married Alan Pontius and they raised three children: Robert (Nancy) Pontius, James (Debra) Pontius and Ann (Doug Lilley) Pontius. She is further survived by five grandchildren: Renee Pontius, Stephen Pontius, Kevin Pontius, Danielle Pontius and Jenny Harvath; her great grandson, Nicholas; and her lifelong friend, Tim Gwiazdon. Margo was preceded in death by her parents Emida Fisher-Daws and William Lambert Daws and her son, James Kevin Pontius on February 1, 2002.

Memorial services will be at Noon on Wednesday, November 12, 2008, at STAR OF HOPE CHAPEL at Highland Memorial Park, 3131 N. Richmond Street, Appleton, with Pastor Barry Yarbro of Algoma Boulevard Methodist Church, Oshkosh, officiating. Inurnment will be in Appleton Highland Memorial Park. Friends may call directly at the cemetery chapel on Wednesday, November 12th from 10:00 a.m. until the time of services.
Wichmann Funeral Home
537 North Superior Street
Appleton 920-739-1231
Online Condolences
www.wichmannfargo.com

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Service Schedule

Past Services

Visitation

Saturday, November 12, 2022

10:00am - 12:00 pm

Appleton Highland Memorial Park

3131 N Richmond St, Appleton, WI 54911

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Service

Saturday, November 12, 2022

Starts at 12:00 pm

Appleton Highland Memorial Park

3131 N Richmond St, Appleton, WI 54911

Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text. Standard text messaging rates apply.

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