Magdalen “Maggie” Schoch, 94, New England, died Friday, September 9, 2016 at the St. Luke’s Home, Dickinson. Magdalen’s Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m., Thursday, September 15, 2016 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, New England, with Fr. Biju Chitteth as the celebrant and assisted by Deacon Victor Dvorak. Interment will take place at the Black Hills National Cemetery, Sturgis, S.D. There will be a rosary & vigil at 7 p.m., Wednesday at the church with Deacon Victor Dvorak presiding. Visitation will be on Wednesday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the church, and will continue on Thursday one hour prior to services.
Magdalen was born on February 24, 1922, on the farm in Stark County, to Dominick and Catherine (Greff) Wandler. She was educated at St. Pius Catholic School, Schefield, for her elementary and high school years, graduating in 1941.
Magdalen attended Dickinson State College over the summer months. She taught in rural schools for four years, which she loved, and was also employed in Communications for United Airlines at Chicago Airport after completing a radio-television course in Minneapolis, Minn.
Magdalen married Adam Schoch on June 6, 1946, at St. Pius Catholic Church. They were blessed with six boys and three girls – LaDonna (Joe) Kroetsch, Grayson, Ky.; Timothy (Sonja) Schoch, Mandan; twin brother Thomas Schoch, Prescott, Ariz.; Carlotta (Vasili) Bogazianos, New York, N.Y.; Milton (Cathy) Schoch, Bonita, Calif.; Kenton (Cheryl) Schoch, Ft. Collins, Colo.; Randall (Sonja) Schoch, Milan, Ill.; Verlyn (Richard) Simon, Westlake Village, Calif.; and Dion Schoch, New England.
Magdalen held various positions while raising her family in New England. She taught 8th Grade CCD religion classes for two years. Every year, she helped with the annual phonathon campaign for St. Mary’s School of New England and served as chairman for the Fifth Annual Phonathon. Prior to that, she served as secretary of the Rural Letter Carriers Auxiliary Frontier Five Unit for 10 years; was secretary of St. Mary’s Altar Guild; was active in the American Cancer Society; was a substitute teacher at St. Mary’s and was St. Mary’s first parish bookkeeper and secretary for almost 10-years. She retired from employment there on September 3, 1983.
Maggie was an excellent cook, baker, and gardener. Her caramel rolls were the best, as well as her doughnuts and various jellies and jams, pickles and candies. She enjoyed dancing and singing in the community and parish choirs since the age of 16. Her favorite hobbies were crocheting, knitting and sewing beautiful prize-winning quilts for her children. She also belonged to a Homemaker’s Club.
On November 2005, Maggie was privileged to have gone on a pilgrimage to Medjugorje, Boznia-Herzegovina, which was a most spiritual, peaceful, and rewarding experience. She also made a Cursillo in March 2006. She had a sense of humor, wisdom, and was an inspiration to all throughout her life. She had an extremely brilliant mind and was well known for her generosity and boundless energy. She showed great courage and met adversity with determination and patience, caring for her ailing, loving husband, Adam, for 10 years. She loved life and has given her family memories of a lifetime. She will be missed by all who had the joy of knowing her.
Magdalen is survived by all her nine children, 25 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren, one sister, Florence Chadderdon of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and one sister-in-law, Rose (Ralph) Frank of Dickinson. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband of almost 60 years, and three brothers, Jerome, Leo, and Dominic, and two brothers in infancy, Frank and Joseph; also five sisters, Bridget Messer, Genevieve Vondrachek, Pat Jahner, Lorraine Kudrna, and Katie Fisher.
