Margaret Jeffries, 92, Longtime Teach, Dies
At a time in life when most people would start thinking about retirement, Margaret Jeffries went back to school, earned a degree and started her teaching career.
She became a treasured staff member at St. James-Seton School in Omaha, where she worked until age 87. Ten years ago, the school honored her by dedicating its library to her.
Jeffries died Thursday at Bergan Mercy Medical Center after a long battle with cancer. She was 92.
Family members planned a private graveside service for today.
“She was an incredible woman,” said her daughter, in law, Kathleen Jeffries of Omaha. “The kids loved her.”
Jeffries spent most of her life in Sioux City, Iowa, and Omaha, where she raised a family with her husband Ronald.
When he died, the then 58-year-old woman embarked on a teaching career. She earned her college degree during the evening at the College of St. Mary. She taught, studied and got a little help from her family in grading her fourth grader’s papers.
For 15 years, she taught fourth grade and was known as being a strict, fair and imaginative teacher. She later worked in the library, finally retiring in 1995 at age 87.
Other survivors include sons Ronald of Ann Arbor, MI, Richard of Omaha, R. Thomas of Minneapolis and Patrick of Los Angeles; sister Mary Burroughs of Indianapolis; seven grandchildren and one great grandchild.
