Margaret Byrne, of Antigo, died Thursday, May 15, 2014 at Mayo Clinic Health System - Franciscan Hospital in LaCrosse. She was 88 years old. She was born on April 26, 1926 in Antigo a daughter of Nels and Ida (Johnson) Jansen. She married Merle Byrne on October 23, 1945 in Phlox. He preceded her in death on August 22, 2008.

She attended Red River Grade School in the town of Norwood and graduated from Mattoon High School with the class of 1943.

Mrs. Byrne was a longtime member of Peace Lutheran Church where she sang in the choir, served on the board of stewardship, was a member and past officer of the Dorcas Society and volunteered in the church office.

As a young lady she helped her father on the family farm, worked in Milwaukee at Allis Chalmers and later in Wausau for Marathon Electric. Her employment in Antigo included driving school bus, at the General Telephone office where she was a clerk for five years, and the Antigo Medical Center as secretary for many years.

Mrs. Byrne enjoyed raising her family and being a homemaker in the town of Antigo. She was an organizer of the Langlade County Homemakers Club where she held local offices and was state secretary for two terms. She was active in the Spring Valley elementary school Parent Teachers Association and had served as president. She was a member of the Snow-Drifters and Polar Blazers snowmobile clubs.

She enjoyed traveling, arts and crafts, knitting, sewing.

Survivors include three daughters: Sharyn Nichols of Sturgeon Bay, Linda (Arnie) Byrne-Huettel of Cape Coral, Florida, Mary (Dean) Nugent of Holmen; a son Patrick (Jeana) Byrne of Cheyenne, Wyoming;

twelve Grandchildren, Tammy (David) Hartwig, Shaun Nichols, Kristin Nichols,
Kathleen (Matt) Hendrickson, Ryan Pugh,
Gabriel (Renee) Nugent, Benjamin Nugent and fiancee Brianna, Lucas Nugent, Kara Byrne, Eric Varra, Brendan Byrne;
eight great-grandchildren.

In addition to her husband she was preceded in death by a granddaughter Jamie Pugh Byrne; five sisters Vera Jannuska, Ruth Wirtz, Marian Eiche, Minnie Meyers and Katherine Voisey; four brothers Harold, Howard, Roy and Roland Jansen.

A funeral service will be held on Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. at Peace Lutheran Church with Rev. David Karolus officiating. Burial will take place in the town of Norwood Cemetery. Visitation will be Tuesday from 5 - 7 p.m. at Bradley Funeral Home and on Wednesday one hour prior to services at the church.

In lieu of flowers a memorials may be directed to the Peace Lutheran Church choir.

Services