Marjorie Schrag

Marjorie Lea Schrag, 86, passed away on Tuesday (April 28, 2020) at the Schowalter Villa in Hesston, Ks. 

She was born on September 25^th, 1933 in Lenexa, KS – adopted at six weeks by Arthur and Edna Waltner of Pretty Prairie (Hutchinson), KS.  She attended a one-room school house outside of Pretty Prairie and spoke English and German fluently as a child.  Marge graduated from Pretty Prairie High School and went on to graduate from Bethel College in 1952 as a Music Major with an emphasis on Home Economics.

In 1953 – 1955 Marge did her 1W service in Michigan and attended Eastern Michigan College in Ypsilanti, Michigan.  She worked in the hospital/mental hospital and was married to Dean Schrag. Their first child, Meribeth was born in Michigan during their service. Gordon, their second child was born on the farm in Pretty Prairie and Steven – born in Newton.

Marge took time off to have children and be in the home through 1960 until she went back to school at Bethel College.  Her dedication was to family and the Bethel College Mennonite Church, where she worked with the children’s program and headed the music committee.  She went on to become a Social Work Major and graduated in 1975, doing her practicum at Meadowlark Homestead.  She attended Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS.  In 1977 she attended the University of Kansas, Lawrence, and graduated with a Masters Degree in Social Work in 1979.  Marge became KU’s Practicum Instructor of the year for two years. She did her practicum work at Prairie View and Youthville. She made many close friends throughout the state during her years of work. She obtained her ACSW and LSCSW. She retired from Youthville after thirty years of working all over Kansas doing Family Based Services, Associate Vice President, grant participation, and privatization project work for two regions in Kansas as well as being Ombudsman, including intensive family therapy and direct services to children in need – care and concern and acceptance of behavior - tirelessly and passionately.

Some highlights of her career include completing coursework for her Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Therapy at the Bowen Family Center at Georgetown University in Washington, DC, where she was awarded the (CWLA) Child Welfare League of America’s Child Welfare Worker in 1994 at the National Conference. Marge was involved in developing home-based treatments for families for several years, including the Northwest Region of Kansas (Hays, Colby, Great Bend); as well as direct services in the Kansas City area. Many family testimonies were written and sent in regards to “Marge making their house a home and the people who were living in it, a unified family – giving hope where there was none.” She found openness and cooperation when many professionals who said it couldn’t be done – and was nonjudgmental. Working with the parents proved to be successful along with outside supervision. This five-year pilot project, along with trading her personal vehicle with her minivan in order to transport children and travel Kansas -  during the evenings and weekends as well as putting herself at risk in unfamiliar homes, created the high standard of Social Work practice which continues in models to this day and has helped bridge the gap between residential treatment and parental involvement.

Marge withstood many health matters which continued to take her quality of life away. In her later years, she resided in home health care at Showalter Villa, Hesston due to complications with health and immobility. She continued to extend herself to family, friends and caregivers with a strong fight for life and hope.

Marge is survived by her three children, Meribeth (Jon) Miller of North Newton; Gordon (Leann) Schrag of Highlands Ranch, CO; and Steven (Beth) Schrag of Dallas. She also has twelve grandchildren: Allyson (Brandon) Witham of Grand Junction, CO; Hannah (David) McBeth of Newton, Chelsea Hahn of Prairie Village, KS, Natalya (Noah) Sparks of KC MO, Lauren (Brian) Beede of Castle Pines, CO, Makenzie (Alex) Hield) of Erie, CO, Gabrielle Schrag of Highlands Ranch, CO, Eli Schrag of San Diego, CA; Simon Schrag of Dallas; Ben Schrag of Dallas; and Matthew and Samuel Schrag of Dallas; and eight great-grandchildren: Jonah Kim, Finn Witham, Lillian, Justin and Brenden McBeth, Grayson and Avery Beede and Hudson Hield.

Stan Eitzen also precedes her in death as being her closest feeling of having a sibling in her childhood home on the farm in Pretty Prairie – as well as many cousins and a loving extended family and friends.

A memorial service will be held at the Showalter Villa Chapel in August.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to Ember Hope (formerly United Methodist Youthville campus) or Showalter Villa. Contributions may be sent to Broadway Colonial, 120 E. Broadway, Newton, KS 67114.

Arrangements are by Broadway Colonial Funeral Home, Newton.