Margaret (Leonard) Mihalko

 

Margaret Louise Mihalko, of West Lafayette, peacefully passed away at the age of 94 on Wednesday, February 1, 2023, after a short illness. Born in 1928, Margaret was the daughter of Harry Leonard and Vera Dausman Leonard. She spent most of her growing up years in West Lafayette and graduated from West Lafayette High School and Purdue University, where she completed a B.S. in Pharmacy. Margaret married John Mihalko in 1948; after he graduated from Purdue, they lived in a few small Indiana towns before eventually settling in West Lafayette, where John was a teacher and coach and where they raised their five children. Margaret was immersed in her family’s activities: she was a coach’s wife and sat in the bleachers for every football and basketball game that her husband coached; she was a Girl Scout leader; she was at every swim meet her two youngest children competed in; and later, after her grandchildren started participating in sports, she was at as many track meets, soccer games, basketball games, gymnastic meets, and softball games as she could squeeze in. She was also a die-hard Boilermaker fan, following the men’s football and basketball games on TV, and was a season ticket holder for the women’s basketball games. Margaret was active in the First United Methodist Church and spent many years working in their Thrift Shop in downtown Lafayette—she became well known in the community because of her presence there. Margaret’s three additional passions included traveling, playing bridge, and reading. She traveled to many countries with her good friends and travel partners after John passed away; she played in several bridge groups right up until the end, especially at Westminster Village, where she had resided for over six years; and she was a voracious reader, telling her family that she’d much rather read than do her chores. Margaret will be remembered by her family as a woman ahead of her time. She chose a non-conventional degree for women at the time she was in college, and she supported her children and grandchildren as they made plans to follow their dreams, no matter how many twists and turns they took. She had an inclusive nature that accepted everyone into her family unit and made them feel valued. She was loved and respected by all—a life well lived. Margaret was preceded in death by her husband, John Mihalko, her daughter Susan Mihalko, and her son Joe Mihalko (Phyllis), Phoenix, AZ. She is survived by her daughter Mary Ann Mira (Bob), Prescott Valley, AZ, her daughter Judy Toth (Jim), Colorado Springs, CO, and her son David Mihalko (Rachelle), Fort Mill, SC. She is also survived by nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Visitation will be held from 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm on Saturday, February 25, 2023 at Hippensteel Funeral Home. Funeral Service will begin at 2:00 pm. Interment will follow at Tippecanoe Memory Gardens. Share Memories and condolences online at www.hippensteelfuneralservice.com