Margie Lucille Short was born on Saturday, October 7, 1922. She was born at home in Ringgold County, Iowa to her parents Webie Vanderflute and Edna Marshall. When she came into this world she had an older brother, Garald, who was four years older than her. A year and a half later they had a baby girl, Lila Marie, who only lived a few days. Another year and a half later and her parents were expecting again. Unfortunately, her mother died a few days after giving birth to her brother , Elmer. Faced with the daunting task of raising two small children and a new baby, her father gave the baby up for adoption to a family named Miller.( Later in her life she was reunited with her brother who’s name was now Mike Miller. They stayed close until his death).

Margie had many fond memories of growing up with her brother and their dad. Unfortunately, those memories were to be short lived. When Margie was eight years old, her father was lighting a fire, and instead of a can of kerosene, the can had gasoline in it. The gasoline ignited and burned her father severely in his abdominal area. Unfortunately, he died from his injuries. The relatives tried to keep her and her brother together, but that wasn’t to be. She eventually ended up being farmed out to an aunt who took her to Utah. She disliked this aunt greatly as she was very strict and she missed her brother who was back in Iowa. After several years, she ran away and came back to Iowa and enrolled in school where she completed the 10th grade. She went to work on the Short family farm when she fell in love with an “older” man. His name was Murl Short and he was 16 years her senior! They were married January of 1938. Because of the depression and the war, jobs were hard to come by. They’d had their first child, Dan, in May of 1939 in Iowa. They traveled around the country wherever they could find work. They had their second child, Mary, in November of 1946 also in Iowa. The next few years they headed west and their last child, Ed, was born in January of 1949 in Kennewick, Washington. Margie once said she lived in 17 different states before they finally returned to Nebraska.

They eventually came back to Nebraska where Murl went to work with his brother George, doing drywall. In 1954 Murl and Margie purchased a little house up on the hill on the corner of 51st and Frances Street. This was to be her home for the next 60 plus years. The kids all attended school, and Margie got a part time job cooking at the former Mac’s Drive In (currently Runza Drive In on 51st & Center). She usually walked to work as she wasn’t yet driving. That didn’t happen for awhile. Murl was really interested in cars and he passed that love to his kids. He bought cars to race at Playland Park in Council Bluffs and Sunset Speedway in Omaha. Dan even drove a few of the cars! The family spent many nights at the race track.

The kids grew up and moved out and she and Murl started thinking about moving to Phoenix to work at the horse track. His brother, George and his wife Gert, had already moved down there. So in August of 1970, when Ed and Pat got married, they packed up and headed to Phoenix and Ed and Pat moved in and rented the house. Margie and Murl really seemed to enjoy their time in Phoenix. Margie got a job cooking at the track and Murl was doing odd jobs there. Unfortunately, in December of 1972, Murl came down with pneumonia and they discovered he had lung cancer. He never recovered. He passed away on December 29, 1972, and was buried there in Phoenix.

Margie stayed in Phoenix until April 1973, when she decided to come back to Omaha to be near all her children and grand children. She moved back into her home as Ed and Pat were expecting their second child and needed a bigger house. After a while, she got a full time job at Bergan Mercy Hospital as a cook. She worked there for over 25 years. She had several good friends and over the years they took cruises to Alaska and Hawaii. They also took several bus trips together. But her best friend was Elaine McCall. They spent a lot of time together and you could usually find them at the nearest Goodwill searching for the best bargains. She and her friends played a lot of cards and became active in the senior center.

But probably her most favorite thing in life was being a wife to Murl, a mother to Dan, Mary and Ed, a grandmother to Cindy, Mike, Michelle, Heather, Jennifer, Nicole and Nathan, a great grandmother to Shane, Ashley, Keith, Ryan, Hayley, and Sophie, and finally a great great grandmother! She was a loving and caring grandmother who loved having the kids over. They would build blanket forts, bake cookies, and she taught them how to drink coffee with lots of cream and sugar! And she really enjoyed her tea parties with Sophie.

As time went on, Margie started to decline. Mentally, she started having some issues. The family wanted her to move someplace where she would be safe, but she insisted in staying in her” house on the hill”. But then in February of 2017, she tripped over the phone cord in the kitchen and fell and broke her femur. And that sealed what was to be her future. After surgery and rehab, the family moved her to Heritage Ridge Assisted Living in Bellevue. She was pretty good for a while but her dementia steadily worsened. In November of 2019 the family moved her to Crowell Memorial Home in Blair, Ne. where she passed away on January 13, 2020.

Margie will always be loved and remembered by her children, grand children, great grandchildren and other family and friends.
We love you Mom!

Preceded in death by husband, Murl Short

Survived by: sons, Dan & Edward (Pat) Short; daughter: Mary (Roger) Weaver and many grandchildren & great grandchildren.

Gathering of Family & Friends: Saturday, Jan, 25, 2020 from 1:00-3:00 PM at Braman Mortuary (Southwest Chapel).

In lieu of flowers please direct memorials to: Crowell Memorial Home (245 S 22nd St. #1811, Blair, NE 68008)