Margaret Haugen

     Margaret Rose Samek Haugen passed away Thursday, April 6th, 2023, at St. Luke’s Nursing Home in Dickinson ND with her family at her side.  Three days prior she was diagnosed with a torn aortic artery (dissecting aneurysm) which died from.

     Margaret Rose Samek was born on June 10th, 1931, at the James (Vaclav) and Mary (Zastoupil) Samek farmstead southwest of Dickinson ND, Ash Coulee Township, and was the 6th child out of a family of 15.

Margaret attended grade school through 5th grade in the one room Ash Coulee school house southwest of Dickinson, often walking a mile to school.  On the days it stormed, her dad would often hitch horses to the family wagon with her sitting on straw and warmed by a blanket over her and her siblings.

     In May of 1943, Margaret at the age of 12, with her parents and siblings, moved to a farm north of Wimbledon ND.  There she attended the Dover School from 6th through 8th grade.  Starting with 9th grade she attended St James Academy, a boarding school in New Rockford ND where she graduated high school.

On November 29th, 1950, Margaret was united in marriage to Eugene (Gene) Bernard Haugen and made their residence in Wimbledon ND where their first five children (Tom, Kathy, Margaret (Peg), Jeff and Corrine) were born.  Margaret was an excellent seamstress, often making clothes for her family and sewing for others in the Wimbledon and surrounding area.  In 1963, Margaret and Gene moved to New Rockford ND where three additional children (Rob, Rick and Laurie) were born.  There, they often shared their home with two very special ladies, Bernadette Clancy and Jackie Dolan.

     In 1974 the family made their final move west to Dickinson ND, residing near where Margaret was born and lived until her death.  Dickinson is where her husband Gene passed away in 1990 after a long illness. 

While residing in Dickinson, after the last of her eight children were old enough, Margaret worked at General Nutrition Center, and later became a CNA and worked at St. Luke’s Nursing Home for 17 years until she retired and later resided until her death.

     Margaret was a talented seamstress and often made her children’s clothing, beautiful wedding gowns and dresses, window drapes and upholstery. She loved gardening and canning so much that one of the family jokes was, “If it didn’t move fast enough during canning time, it got canned!”  Some of her fondest simple pleasures in life were listening to her father James play the accordion; spending time with her five sisters and nine brothers; listening to her grandmother sing to her and her siblings in her native Czech language and penny candy. 

    Her last words were, “Are we done with this monkey business, it’s time for me to go!

Margaret is preceded in death by her husband Eugene Haugen; daughter Corrine Haugen; parents James and Mary Samek; brothers George (Agnes) Samek, Laudie (Agnes) Samek, Wensel (Mary) Samek, Bernard (Barbara) Samek, Valentine Samek; sisters Mary (Ervin) Albrecht, Mildred (Joseph) Clarys, Georgie Ann (Taft) Cherney. 

     She is survived by her children Tom (Cindy) Haugen of Dickinson ND, Kathy (David) Jenrich of New Rockford ND, Peg (Raymond) Johnson of Carrington ND, Jeff (Yvonne) Haugen of Dickinson ND, Rob Haugen of  West Fargo ND, Rick (Tess) Haugen of Dickinson ND, Laurie Haugen of Bismarck ND; sisters Patricia (Laudie) Cherney of Jamestown ND, Bertha (Lloyd) Lorenz of Fond du Lac WI; brothers Frank (Deb) Samek of Fargo ND, Benedict (Rosalia) Samek, Dwight, ND, Steven (Karen) Samek of Alexandria MN, Vitres (Sarah) Samek; 18 grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren.

     Visitation will be 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM followed by a rosary at 6:30 PM and vigil service at 7:00 PM, Thursday, April 27, 2023 at Eddy Funeral Home.  Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 AM, Friday, April 28, 2023 at St. Boniface Catholic Church, Wimbledon, ND with Fr. Sean Mulligan officiating.  Burial will take place in the spring at St. Boniface Cemetery, Wimbledon, ND.

     Eddy Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

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