Margaret Marie Quigg

Quigg, Margaret Marie passed away on October 20, 2010, after living a long and rich life. Jesse and Florence Neal of Harper, Kansas adopted Margaret at the age of 6 days in February 1920. She was the love and light of their life and remained their only child. Her birth parents, Edward Schmidt and Minnie Van Dorn of Axtell, were later married and had 3 sons, Ernest, Dennis, and Lyle Schmidt. Fortunately Edward and Minnie eventually went in search of their lost daughter. Later in life Margaret and her brothers became very close friends and they provided much joy in her life.

Margaret married E. Earl Quigg on June 22, 1941 and they were married over 62 years until his death in January 2004. Those years included the hardships of WWll. After Earl returned from the Pacific Theater, Margaret would reminisce about the difficult years when she and Earl lived in a trailer, rented the rights to use a toilet at a nearby filling station and the rights to weekly baths at a nearby house. Earl started Quigg Studio, a photography studio, in 1954. Soon Margaret joined Earl and with her creative drive and outgoing personality, she was the key to Quigg Studio becoming the premier wedding studio in the greater Wichita area. At the peak of Margaret and Earl’s career, they would photograph 25 or more weddings a weekend in the summer.

Margaret was always the life of the party. At any event her table was where everyone wanted to sit. She always had tales of growing up, stories of her life, and antidotes of all kinds, some true, some “telling it real” as Earl would say, but always entertaining and funny. Everywhere Margaret went, she was always a funny, formidable, and dynamic force.

Margaret and Earl had one child, Kandy Quigg, who also worked with Quigg Studio from age 8 until she left Wichita for graduate school. Margaret’s sensitivity to children without parents led them to raise a foster son, Curtis McLarty.

For many years Margaret and Earl were blessed that Margaret’s nephew, Mark Schmidt and wife Laurie Schmidt, helped take care of them. Mark is the son of Margaret’s brother Dennis and wife Estelene. Mark and Laurie continually attended to Margaret during her painful decline after Earl’s passing in January, 2004. Her quality of life would have been unhappily different without Mark and Laurie Schmidt’s passion, love and commitment. Margaret is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Kandy Quigg and Roger LeMay of Belmont, California; by her foster son Curtis McLarty of Wichita; two of her three brothers, Ernest Schmidt of Atchison, Kansas, and Lyle Schmidt of Bowie, Maryland; and nieces and nephews including Mark and Laurie Schmidt of Derby, Kansas.

A private service has been held for Margaret. Memorial contributions can be made to Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice who provided loving care for Margaret and much needed guidance and support for the family and the Alzheimer’s Association. Culbertson-Smith Mortuary in charge of arrangements.