Margaret Koetting, 83, of Newburgh passed away on Wednesday, October 11, 2023 after a long and courageous battle with breast cancer. Daughter of Edward and Mary (Kennedy) Brundick, she was preceded in death by her husband, Thomas Koetting and sister, Barbara (Brundick) Bruns.
Maggie is survived by her brother, Edward Louis Brundick, MD; son, Michael (Beth); daughter, Lori Goris (Dr. James Goris); grandchildren, Brady Koetting (Cloe), Katy Koetting, Amy Goris, Matt Goris, Will Goris, Luke Goris and Jake Goris.
After graduating from St. Bridget’s school in Pacific, MO., a small town 35 miles southwest of St. Louis, Maggie went on to receive a Bachelor’s Degree in Education from the University of Missouri. U of M is where she also met the love of her life, Tom Koetting, to whom she was married for 57 years.
She became a 4th grade teacher at Pacific Elementary and her students still remember her fondly. Upon the arrival of her two children, Maggie stepped away from teaching to be a stay-at-home Mom. She took this role seriously and was active as a class room mother, tutor, coach, den mother and troop leader. As Mike and Lori grew and required less attention, Maggie’s interests and talents led her in new directions.
She obtained her realtor’s license in the late ‘80’s but left the profession to pursue fashion retailing. Participating in fashion shows as both a model and the emcee eventually led her to becoming the Fashion Coordinator at DeJongs. In this role she represented DeJongs in weekly fashion segments on the mid-day news magazine of WFIE channel 14. She wrote the script, selected the clothing and models and performed on camera.
Maggie eventually retired from the Fashion Coordinator position but remained as busy as ever. She was a master shade gardener and her garden was featured in the 2009 Gardenwalk of the Southwest Indiana Master Gardener Association. She was also a talented artist (oil and watercolor) and a skilled seamstress, frequently combining the two crafts in beautiful and unique works. Many friends and relatives will toast her memory with one of the hundreds of hand-painted wine glasses created by Maggie. Friends knew her as a fun, outgoing hostess, a fiercely competitive pickleball player and an excellent cook. She was always up for an adventure and she and Tom traveled far and wide in the US and around the world. Maggie was a faithful Catholic and an active member of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church; she and Tom served as pre-Cana advisors and were recognized for their service to the Diocese of Evansville with the Bruté award.
Always the life of the party, she will be greatly missed and fondly remembered, especially her laugh which was as unique and joyful as she was.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10:30 a.m. Friday, October 20, 2023 at Holy Rosary Catholic Church, 1301 S. Green River Road, Evansville, IN, officiated by Rev. Bernard Etienne. Burial will be at a later date in Ste. Genevieve, MO.
Friends may visit from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Thursday, October 19, 2023 at Alexander Newburgh Chapel, 5333 State Road 261, Newburgh, IN. A Prayer Service will be held Thursday 7:00 p.m. at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Education Foundation for African Children (www.EFFAC.org), a 501(c)(3) charity.
The Koetting and Goris families have been the primary sponsors of EFFAC’s mission to support a Catholic School in Kovie, Togo for 700 children.
We hope that donations in Maggie’s name can fund the addition of running water at the school.
Condolences may be offered at www.AlexanderNewburghChapel.com.