Margaret Ann Cain's Obituary
Margaret Ann (McCormick) Cain was born on May 31, 1925, in Neosho Rapids, Coffey Co., Kansas, to Omer Joseph and Frances Leota (Mozingo) McCormick. She passed from this life on October 14, 2017 at Via Christi Nursing Home in Ponca City, OK, after suffering a cerebral stroke several weeks earlier.
Margaret was the youngest of five children. Her four siblings were Francis Louise (died as an infant in 1919), Delbert Omer (1920-1952), Marian Arlyne (1922-2010), John Merlin (1923-2000). Her father Omer passed at age 88 in 1981, and mother Frances at age 97 in 1996.
Margaret grew up on the McCormick farm east of Neosho Rapids. She worked on the family farm and also at a service station in Hartford during the early war years. During her teens years Margaret met a cowboy named Gene. On May 20, 1944, Margaret married Harry Eugene “Gene” Cain at U.S. Army Camp Plauche, in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana.
Margaret went to Camp Plauche, LA (a 1½ day train ride from Emporia, KS) to see Gene before he sailed for Europe and WWII duty. She arrived on Monday, May 15. Gene had a three-day leave later that week -- Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. It took special permission to even get Margaret onto the base.
Soon after Margaret arrived, Gene suggested that they marry! They had to send a telegram to Omer and Frances to get their permission because Margaret was only 18 (almost 19). Gene said the Camp Chaplain spent more time trying to talk them out of marriage than it took to get them married. After the ceremony, they were driven all over the base in a jeep, went out to eat, and then went to a “picture show” titled “Four Jills in a Jeep”. On Sunday, they had a long ride on “The President”, a steamer on the Mississippi River. Gene was on duty most of the month that Margaret was there. Margaret left for Kansas the night before Gene shipped out for Omaha Beach, France.
After Gene returned from the war in Europe in late December 1945, he and Margaret set up housekeeping on several Flint Hills ranches in Lyon Co., Kansas, where Gene “cowboyed”. Their two children, Dale and Catherine, were born in Emporia, Lyon County, KS. The family moved to the Elk Falls, Kansas, area in the late 1950s and then to the Moline, Kansas area in the early 1960s. After renting several farm homes west of Moline, Gene and Margaret purchased 420 acres and a 2-story ranch home 3 miles west of Moline. They christened their spread “Cainlane” because of their one-quarter mile driveway. Gene and Margaret ran a cow-calf operation. Margaret enjoyed the ranch life; she helped Gene maintain equipment, helped with haying, and especially enjoyed mowing their large yard. They enjoyed their life together on the Cainlane Ranch until Gene passed in 2010.
After Gene went into nursing care Margaret moved to Winfield, KS. After several illnesses, she entered nursing care in Ponca City, OK in 2008.
Margaret is survived by her son Dale Eugene Cain and his wife Lynnda Marie (Grady) Cain of Litchfield Park, AZ, and by her daughter Catherine Elise (Cain) Byard and her husband Mark E Byard, of Ponca City, OK. Gene and Margaret had 5 grandchildren: Cassandra Lynn Cain of Phoenix, AZ, Casey Eugene Cain of Phoenix, AZ, Shannon Layne Byard of Stillwater, OK, and Johanna Claire Byard and Laiken Suzanne Byard of Ponca City, OK.
Margaret’s visitation will be Friday, October 20, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. with a funeral service following at 11:00 a.m. at Countryside Funeral Home, 206 E Washington St., Howard, KS. Memorial Contributions may be made to the Ross Hospice of Enid, Oklahoma, and left with or mailed to the funeral home. Online condolences may be left at www.countrysidefh.com Services entrusted to: Countryside Funeral Home 206 E. Washington, P.O. Box 1233, Howard, KS 67349.
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