Margaret Mary Lucking age 83, of Benson and Perham, died on Saturday, November 10, 2012 at St. Cloud Hospital of complications from acute pancreatitis. Her family was at her side. A Catholic Burial Mass will be held on Friday, November 16, 2012, at 2:00 PM at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Benson. Visitation will be held from 3:00 to 6:00 PM on Thursday, November 15, 2012, at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Benson, with a Rosary at 3:30 PM. Arrangements are with Zniewski Funeral Home in Benson, MN. www.zniewskifuneralhome.com. Margaret Mary Schmidt was born on January 11, 1929 in St. Cloud, Minnesota at her Grandmother Libert's home on Lake George. Her parents were Clothilda (Libert) Schmidt of St. Cloud and Robert Schmidt of Perham, Minnesota. She attended St. Henry's Catholic grade school and graduated from Perham High School. From there she followed her Mother's footsteps and attended St. Cloud State Teacher's College and graduated in 1950 with an elementary education teaching degree. She then taught kindergarten in Cloquet, Minnesota for two years. On August 18, 1952 she married Robert Lucking of Perham at St. Henry's Catholic Church, Perham, Minnesota. When Margaret moved to Benson with her husband, she was a substitute teacher until her first child was born. Once her youngest started kindergarten her passion for teaching resurfaced and she taught kindergarten at Northside Elementary School in Benson for 25 years. She was active in Monday Club, bridge clubs, and enjoyed lunches with the retired elementary school teachers group. She was involved with the St. Francis Xavier Parish. She enjoyed learning, reading, visiting family and attending her grandchildren's activities. This included visiting Alaska over 50 times in the last 37 years to visit her daughters and their families. Margaret and her husband, Bob, traveled around the world twice visiting 6 continents. She enjoyed seeing the pyramids of Egypt, the Taj Mahal in India, and the Great Wall in China. They also attended the 25th anniversary celebration of D-Day in Normandy Beach in France with the Minnesota National Guard contingent. Margaret enjoyed living at her summer home on Big Pine Lake in Ottertail County. She participated in numerous social events with her sister Helene and other childhood friends of Perham during the summers. She is survived by five (5) children - Anne Reed (Rick Calcote) of Anchorage, Alaska, Edward Lucking of Blaine, Minnesota, Renee Salvucci (Pat) of Anchorage, Alaska, Andrew Lucking of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Rachel Lucking of Oakdale, Minnesota; 8 grandchildren - Elise, Mark and Karl Reed, Sarah Salvucci, Emily Alfred, Carl (Alyssa) Weir, Nick Weir, and Rebecca Metz; and one sister, Helene Pettit (Robert) of Perham, Minnesota. She was preceded in death by her husband, Bob Lucking, and her parents. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to St. Francis Xavier Church, Benson, Minnesota.
