Margaret Louise Oertwig (Merritt)

The angels carried our sweet mother to heaven on March 17th, 2015. She was born in Diamond, Kentucky to Ruby and Oscar Merritt on September 6th, 1925. The family moved to Evansville, Indiana when she was six months old where she was raised and attended school. She met the love of her life (James Oertwig) on a blind date and they were united in marriage on November 15th, 1942. They were blessed with two daughters, Sandy and Diane. The family spent time in Tennessee, Alabama and Kentucky where Jim attended college and seminary. In 1960 they moved to Independence where Jim was called as the first pastor of Susquehanna Baptist Church. Margaret was employed by the Independence "San" and Dr. Andrew Rhodes before retiring in 1987. Her hobbies included reading and listening to southern gospel music, especially the Collingsworth family. She was preceded in death by Jim (her husband of forty years), her parents and brother-in-law Eugene Main. Survivors include daughters Sandy Oertwig, Diane (Oertwig) Underwood Independence, sister Sara Main Evansville, Indiana, two granddaughters Jamie Underwood (Rob Holzbach) and Kelley Hedrick (Jeff), one grandson Brett Underwood (Amy), five great grandsons Charles and Jackson Underwood, Hudson and Bryson Hedrick, and Henry Holzbach, two nephews Jeff Main and Greg Main and families. We wish to thank the staff at Maywood Terrace Living Center who worked tirelessly to care for mom the last five weeks of her life. They demonstrated exemplary care not only to mom but also to the family. We consider these special care-givers family. A visitation will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, March 22nd at Speaks Suburban Chapel, 18020 E;. 39TH St., Independence, MO 64055. A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, March 23rd at the chapel. Burial will be at Salem Cemetery in Independence.