Margaret Elizabeth Petrucka, 99, of Cherokee passed away Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2025, at Cherokee Regional Medical Center.
A Mass of Christian Burial was held Saturday, Nov. 22, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Cherokee. Burial was at Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Cherokee. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made in Margaret’s name to be used for future organizations that were important to her. Greenwood-Schubert Funeral Home in Cherokee assisted the family with arrangements. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.greenwoodfuneral.com.
Margaret was born Jan. 3, 1926, in Laurel, Neb., the fourth of five children of John P Mead and Caroline Amelia Thum Mead.
Around the time Margaret was five years old, the family moved to Sioux City when John Mead took a position as a caretaker of the St. Boniface campus. Margaret attended school at St. Boniface, West Junior High School and Central High School. Upon graduation from Central High School in June 1943, Margaret took a civil service test and obtained employment as a clerk at the Sioux City Air Base. After WWII ended, she then worked at the Woodbury County Recorder’s office for several years and for Stillwell Law Firm.
On Feb. 16, 1952, Margaret was united in marriage to Robert “Bob” J. Petrucka. After several moves due to Robert’s career, the family settled in Cherokee in 1963. Margaret later began selling Avon for several years before starting a career as a bookkeeper at Alco from the time the store opened until it closed in 1997.
After retirement, Margaret was a teacher’s aid for religious education at Immaculate Conception Church. Margaret was active in the choir, bells and helped set the holiday flowers at the church.
Margaret was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, all four siblings and a special friend, Wayne Stellish.
She will lovingly be remembered by two daughters, Carol Petrucka of Cedar Rapids; and Julie (Marc) Mortenson of Cherokee; a son, John (Shelly) Petrucka of Durango, Colo.; grandchildren: Cody (Sam) Mortenson, Chyenne Mortenson, Paige (Sean) Buczek and Eric Petrucka; great-grandchildren: Brayden Schoenfeld, Paisley Mortenson, Ryder Mortenson, Charlotte Buczek and Hayden Buczek.
