Margaret Mae Tiernan

Margaret Mae Tiernan passed away Tuesday, January 28, at West Bridge/Azria Health. Visitation will be at Caldwell Parrish Funeral Home from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Sunday, February 2, with a Vigil Service at 6:30 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, February 3, at St. Joseph Church in Winterset, Iowa. Interment will be at St. Patrick’s Irish Settlement in Lee Township. Rev. Thomas Dooley will preside at both services. Born March 5, 1921, in Cumming, Iowa, to Homer Arthur Holloway and Hazel Mae Bellows, both from New Sharon, Iowa, Margaret lived in Warren and Madison Counties all of her life, graduating from Norwalk High School. She was married to John Waldron Tiernan. They resided in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for several years before returning to the family farm in Lee Township, where together they raised six children before moving to Winterset in 1961. Following the death of her husband in 2005, Mrs. Tiernan resided until 2015 with her son, Joseph, then at Madison Square and finally West Bridge. As well as her lifelong vocation as a homemaker and parent, Margaret received a certificate as a chair-side assistant from Des Moines Area Community College and worked for several area dentists in that capacity and as office manager. Earlier, she worked as a hostess and waitress at the Gold Buffet Dining Room in Winterset, and at Johnny and Kay’s Restaurant in Des Moines. Always an excellent student who encouraged her children in their search for excellence in education, Margaret played basketball and loved following that sport as well as gymnastics, figure skating and tennis all her life. She played the piano and encouraged each of her children to develop musical talents. Her lovely soprano voice could be heard in the church choir at St. Patrick’s for many years. Mrs. Tiernan served her farm community as a 4-H leader for the Lee Stars Girls 4-H Club and also was a Madison County Recreation Leader for 4-H. She enjoyed volunteering as a Red Cross Grey Lady in Des Moines for several years. She also volunteered briefly as a bookkeeper for her church and was a member of the Altar and Rosary Society. Margaret’s expertise as a fine seamstress, making many articles of clothing for her children and grandchildren, was a lifelong accomplishment. She was a wonderful cook who could make a lovely meal out of seemingly nothing, was a baker of delicious desserts and breads and a candy maker. Her dining table while on the farm was always crowded for Sunday dinner with family, relatives and friends. She crocheted many beautiful baby garments and made a number of quilts until arthritis became too severe. She enjoyed gardening, canning many fruits and vegetables to feed her family. Later in life, Margaret enjoyed a love of birds, feeding them through the seasons. In the midst of a busy life, Margaret found time to indulge in a life-long love of reading and cared for a step-aunt at the nursing home. Margaret loved Christmas and showered gifts of love on her children and grandchildren all year long. Her laughter, her unique ability to whistle, which gave life a sense of play, her quick wit and her love of Catholic faith, will be remembered by her family. Mrs. Tiernan was preceded in death by her parents and her step-mother, Verna Schneider Holloway, her husband John, five brothers (Kenneth, Homer, Ralph, Lyle and Donald Holloway), and two nephews, (Gary and David Holloway). She is survived by one brother, Elbert Holloway (Peggy) of Salem, Oregon, as well as her children: Donald (Mary) of Story, Wyoming; Michael (Barbara) of Woodstock, Georgia; Helen Marie Hurt (Don) of Littleton, Colorado; Gregory and Joseph of Winterset, Iowa, and Timothy (Casey) of Dallas, Texas. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews as well as 14 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. Memorial gifts may be given to St. Joseph Church in Winterset or a favorite charitable institution.