Margareta “Margie” E. Toepfer

Margie was born to eternal life on January 15, 2026, at age 89.  Born on November 2, 1936 in Milwaukee, WI., the oldest child of Henry J. and Erna L. (nee Baudler) Weiss, and older sister of Henry, Robert and Ervin Weiss. Her nickname, (given to her by her father) was “Schatz” or “Schatzi”, which is a German word of endearment, sometimes given to children. Only family close to her knew her by this name.

Margie graduated from the old Lutheran High School in 1954, (for which she worked to pay her own tuition) and found secretarial work allowing her to earn enough extra money to buy her own pair of brand-new ice skates. In 1957, she married David H. Toepfer and they quickly had four sons, Mark D. (Gail) Toepfer, Steven H. (Jennifer) Toepfer, Paul H. (Debbie) Toepfer, and Eric J. Toepfer.

Margie worked full time raising four sons for which she received no paycheck, only the long hours, worry and discipline that it required. She instilled in her sons a strong work ethic in that if you want something then you have to put in the effort to earn it. The wooden spoon, the leather belt or the “wait until your father gets home” were her enforcers. For a period, she worked part time at Locker’s Florists in Wauwatosa, WI. (flowers were her passion).  After her divorce from her husband in 1978 she found full-time work at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Milwaukee, WI. as a unit secretary on the orthopedics floor. She never obtained her driver’s license so she rode the city bus to work and back every day. After she “retired” she went to work at Bunzel’s Meat Market on 85^th and Burleigh working part time as both a cashier and knowing her, as a “greeter”. She valued her independence, continuing to live in her house on 85^th and Locust in Milwaukee until 2023. She loved to walk her dog, gossip with the neighbors, plant beautiful flowers and at the time she moved was the longest tenured resident of the block, having lived there since 1966.

Margie had a strong faith in God and this carried her through many difficult times in her life. She was a devoted member of Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church in Milwaukee, WI. and volunteered her time with the other “church ladies” cleaning, counting the offering money and making quilts. She always had a positive but at the same time “stubborn” attitude. She was loved by all who knew her and that was reciprocated in many ways. She loved her sons, (they were all her favorite), her brothers, cousins, nieces and nephews, but most of all her many grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Margie was preceded in death by her parents and her brother Robert and his wife Karen. Margie is survived by two of her brothers, Henry (Judy) Weiss, and Ervin (the late Jan) Weiss, her four sons, her cousin Dorthy Schaefer, numerous nieces and nephews, and most importantly eleven grandchildren, and seven great grandchildren. She will be greatly missed but her memory and legacy will be carried on.

Per Margie’s wishes she requested cremation and only a gravesite commitment at The Gardens of Stonebank in Hartland, Wisconsin. Time and date of the commitment will be sometime in May of 2026 with an announcement forthcoming.

A heartfelt thanks to the staff at the Prairie Ridge Assisted Living Facility in Mayville, WI. where Margie lived until her passing. She was well cared for and was happy there, making a number of friends; (mostly staff, because as she would often say, “There are too many old people here”).