Evelyn Lela Margaret Toungate “Margaret”, devoted and doting mother, grandmother, wife, and an imaginative and talented artist, passed away peacefully at Orchard Park in Kyle, Texas, on Monday, January 6th, 2020 at the age of 93.
Margaret was born to Ruby Lee and Floyd Pinkney Bishop in Prairie Lea, Texas, on November 8th, 1926. At the age of Thirteen, she met Leon Toungate, and fell in love at first sight. From 1944 to 1946, her love, Leon served in the US Navy. Following his discharge from the service, they immediately married on June 9th, 1946 in Prairie Lea. Together, Margaret and Leon faced life’s challenges, showing their children that when your married, you don’t always have to agree, but that love should always be nurtured. She was dedicated to her family. She served as her children’s first Sunday school teacher and instilled strong Christian values into them. Margaret’s heart was always one of service. She taught Sunday School & Bible School at their Church for over 60 years. Her desire to teach and help her children understand the bible is credited as the inspiration for her son Dennis to become a pastor. As Shirley and Dennis navigated school, Margaret served as PTA President, Cub Scout den leader, ran the concession stands for Little League Baseball, Junior High & High school football games, along with being a great seamstress and making all of her & Shirley’s clothes. She served Caldwell County as the Presiding Election Precinct Judge. Margaret also dedicated much of her time to her husband, helping Leon run Toungate Pipe and Salvage in Luling for over 65 years and traveling with him on business trips. Margaret’s artistic abilities knew no bounds. She loved working in the yard and would do landscape and interior design as a hobby. Margaret loved to travel with Leon. In 1972, Leon and Margaret decided that they had earned a vacation and that they needed to start taking them. These vacations happened each summer, and spanned several weeks, exploring America’s National Parks and their favorite destination, Yellowstone.
Margaret’s heart was broken on September 20th, 2019 when Leon, the love of her life for over seventy-five years, entered the Kingdom of God. Margaret is survived by her children Shirley Toungate Austin and her husband Rod, Dennis Toungate and his wife Sandra, her grandchildren Misty Pagel (Ezra), Aaron Schuelke, Marisa Eastmon, Mark Schuelke, Jeremy Toungate (Erin), Brandy Crober (TJ), Jessie Bolding (Amber), Paisley Bolding, Kenny Austin (Rosemary) and Kristi Augustine (Sheldon). She will be greatly missed by her children, grandchildren, twenty-three great grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
Please join us in celebration of Margaret’s amazing life with a time of visitation at Harrell Funeral Home, 1715 Kirby, Kyle Texas on Monday, January 20, 2020 from 5:00 to 8:00 pm. Graveside services will follow on Tuesday, January 21st, 2020 at 2:00 pm at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery 1520 Harry Wurzbach Rd., San Antonio, Texas. For those whom can’t go to the graveside service, we will celebrate Margaret’s life with a memorial service at Harrell Funeral Home in Kyle, on Thursday, March 5th, 2020 at 6:00 pm.
