was saved in 1925. She was baptized and received into the Church on
November 26, 1925. She attended Rose City Park Elementary and Grant High
School. Margaret now resides in a South West Portland Foster Care home.Margaret is the only child of Swedish immigrants Ida Nordblom Brunander and Gustav Brunander. Her father, Gustav, was a stone mason/bricklayer of outstanding reputation. He patented the Brunander Damper for fireplaces. Margaret grew up in Northeast Portland, attended Rose City Park Elementary school and graduated from Grant High School. After High School she worked briefly for St. Vincent's Hospital until she married her first husband, Ed Larson. With the help of her father, they opened Larson's Coffee Shop in downtown Portland. Their marriage was short lived. After their divorce, she continued to run the coffee shop. There she met, Bill Steele. They were married in March of 1943. Bill had four children by a previous marriage.
After the Second World War, the coffee shop was sold. Margaret had an antique business briefly, was in the business of rental houses, worked for Van Duyn's Chocolate Shop until her father's health failed and she took over his damper business. She managed and later owned this business until 1986 when she retired and moved to the coast. Her husband, Bill died in 1980. They were married for 37 years.
Her "adopted" daughter Jeanie Edwards (her friend of 42 years) and she have enjoyed many trips since Bill's death, in 1980, gardening, and fun times at the beach. Margaret lives four minutes from Jeanie in a SW Portland Foster Care home today.
Her spirit remains strong and her faith unshakable. She enjoys making people laugh and remembers fondly her days at Temple Baptist.
She likes thinking about the fact that she is one of the oldest
members of the church. Daily she prays with Jeanie, has the WORD read to
her and enjoys the old hymns of the church. She is thankful for Godly
parents who were a part of establishing the Swedish Baptist Church and nurturing
her in the Lord. She feels blessed and looks forward to going home and
being with the Lord. The day finally came when she got her wish.
Margaret died on July 5, 2004. A memorial will be held at the Portland
Christian Center on July 16, at 10:00 am.