Margarethe’s Obituary Margarethe “Margot” Bernhardt, 93, of Wichita Falls passed away on Tuesday, May 28, 2019. The family will receive friends between 6 and 8 p.m. on Thursday, May 30, 2019 at Owens and Brumley Funeral Home in Wichita Falls. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, May 31, 2019 at the funeral home with Pastor Dennis Neal, officiating.
Interment will follow at Crestview Memorial Park under the direction of Owens and Brumley Funeral Home of Wichita Falls. Margarethe Hopf was born in Frankfurt Germany on June 4, 1925 to the late Elisabeth Margarethe and Kutcher Johann Hopf. She was raised in Wiesbaden, Germany and became a survivor at an early age.
At the age of six, she was diagnosed with a form of meningitis which should have been fatal. She survived. At a young age, her father passed away which left a burden on the family, but they survived.
She grew up in a depressed country and witnessed the ravages of World War II. Again, survived. Under Hitler’s regime, girls were only allowed an eighth grade education.
So, young Margot began to work at the age of thirteen in a Germany factory, along with the Russian prisoners of war. In the evening, she worked at an ice cream shop for extra money. Margot knew hard work and war at a very young age.
After the war, she married Wolfgang Seitz and they had a son, Peter. Later, she divorced and worked single handedly to support herself and her son. Then in 1952, she met United States Major E.L. (Pete) Bernhardt, whom she married and together, they had a son, Michael.
Although it was extremely difficult to leave her home, her family and not knowing the English language, she still knew that the opportunities in America would far outweigh her obstacles. So, Pete and Margot Bernhardt moved their family to Wichita Falls, Texas in 1953. Later their daughter, Ramona was born.
Learning a new language and a new culture while enduring ridicule for her German heritage was not an easy task. Eventually, her accent became part of her charm. Stressing the importance of education and opportunity, she encouraged her children to succeed.
She grew to love her new country, learned the language and became a United States citizen in 1958. Even when she was asked where she was from, she would reply in her thick German accent, “I’m von Texas, vhy do you ask? Just call me Miss America!
” Many Wichitans will know Margot as the independent owner of “Margot’s Poodle Shoppe”. She loved her dogs and her customers and felt blessed to have the opportunity to have her own business. She lived her life loving people, had the heart of a child and the spice of a grown woman!
Margot’s life reads like a history book. Her story is truly one of the American Dream! She loved her family and lived her life to the fullest with spice and humor.
She will be sorely missed. One of our shining stars dimmed out May 28th, but will be waiting for us in heaven! Along with her parents, Margot was preceded in death by Pete Bernhardt and Jim Martin.
She is survived by her children, Pete and Ramona Seitz of Ketchum, Oklahoma, Mike Bernhardt of Wichita Falls, Marcia Bernhardt of Wichita Falls, Mona and Rick Crider of Plano; and her grandchildren, Christopher Bernhardt (daughter Alejandra), Kristen and Glen Howes (children Alexis, Elizabeth and Joseph), Jacqueline and Michael Backes (daughters Ebony, Tiara and Gen) and Richard and Laura Crider (sons Ryker and Luca). The family suggests memorials may be made to Humane Society of Wichita County, 4360 Old Iowa Park Rd, Wichita Falls, TX 76305; Kids Across America Camps for Inner City Kids (Kanakuk) kanakuk.com; or Riverbend Nature Center of Wichita Falls, 2200 3rd St, Wichita Falls, TX 76301.
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