Margaret "Maggie" Mary Fuchs

Margaret "Maggie" Mary Walsh Fuchs was born on November 7, 1942, in Oklahoma City, OK, to parents Thomas and Mae Walsh, who were immigrants from Ireland. Throughout her life, Maggie was proud of her Irish heritage and her status as what is sometimes described as a "first-generation American." She passed away on Sunday, October 6, 2024 in Yukon, OK.

She graduated from St. Benedict High School in Shawnee, OK, in 1960. Upon graduation, she enrolled at St. Louis University. It was while studying there that she met her future husband. That fateful encounter with Bud Fuchs, a local St. Louis boy, occurred while they were playing bridge at the Student Union, a game the two enjoyed throughout their decades together. They were married in St. Louis, MO, on December 13, 1963, and both graduated from St. Louis University in 1964. In the years that followed, while raising her family and teaching, Maggie continued her own educational experience by completing a Master's in Education from Oklahoma City University.

In 1968, Maggie and her young family moved to Yukon and embarked on a lifelong commitment to fostering and growing a strong community, just as the Yukon community itself continued to expand.

In 1972, Maggie began her career in education by accepting a teaching position at Yukon High School. Throughout her years of teaching, she instructed a multitude of subjects, ranging from math courses such as Algebra and Geometry to social science courses like history and civics. As a member of the YPS family, she demonstrated her community enthusiasm and school pride for the Millers by volunteering as a sports reporter, providing newspapers with results and statistics of Yukon Miller football games for publication. Her commitment to the teaching community also included participation in the teachers' union and involvement in the union negotiation teams. Maggie retired from teaching in 1982.

Around 2002, Maggie became the owner of Southwestern Scents, a marketing company that provided scented oils and merchandise for purchase during fairs, festivals, and craft malls. As the owner of the company, she was a member of the Yukon Chamber of Commerce from 2002 through 2022, after which the company ceased operations.

One of her personal interests was a love for theater. This strong interest led her to participate in the initial community theater startups within the Yukon community, which eventually grew to include performing in stage productions, directing some of those productions, and being part of the management team that maintained the established Yukon community theater group, the Stage Door. Not only was she active with the Stage Door, but she also replicated these opportunities by participating with the Central Oklahoma Ballet in their annual production of "The Nutcracker." The highlights of her autumn were preparing for this event.

Maggie was an active member of the parish of St. John Nepomuk Catholic Church, often volunteering to read at Mass. She enrolled her children in the school associated with the church and encouraged her granddaughter to attend as well. She also managed to combine her love for theater, teaching, and her passion for being involved in the parish by volunteering to teach theater for various student productions at St. John's School, as well as guiding students in their presentation of the Stations of the Cross during Holy Week activities at the church.

Maggie is preceded in death by Bud, her husband of nearly sixty years, who passed on March 9, 2023. Together, they were partners in love, travel, fun, and parenting. They often traveled across the country during her summer breaks from teaching at Yukon High School. She is survived by her son and his wife, Brian and Kristin Fuchs, of Vienna, VA; her daughter, Bridget Patterson, of Yukon, OK; and her granddaughters: Madeline Marie Patterson of Denver, CO; Rowan Anne Fuchs, currently studying in Honolulu, HI; and Erin Melanie Fuchs of Vienna, VA. She is also survived by her brother and his wife, Thomas and Mary Walsh of Oklahoma City, and her sister-in-law, Mary Ellen Walsh of Shawnee, OK

A viewing is scheduled for Tuesday, October 15, 2024, from 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. at Yanda & Son Funeral Home, located at 1500 W. Vandament Ave., Yukon, OK 73099. This will be followed by a Wake at 6:30 P.M. at St. John Nepomuk Catholic Church, situated at 600 Garth Brooks Blvd., Yukon, OK 73099. Mass of Christian Burial will take place at the same location on Wednesday, October 16, 2024, at 10:30 A.M., with interment following at the Yukon Cemetery, Yukon, OK.