Margaret Bender Cruce

Margaret Elinor Bender Cruce of Cape Girardeau, Missouri, and formerly of St. Charles, Missouri, died on Friday, October 30, 2015, at age 93. She was preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, Robert A. Cruce; her parents, Martin Gottfried Bender and Elinor Hermine Wilder Bender; and her sister, Louise Bender Roth. She is survived by one son, Stephen Bender Cruce and his wife, Dr. Patricia Siuta-Cruce of Montvale, New Jersey; one daughter, Elizabeth Cruce Alvarez and her husband, Lamberto Alvarez, of Southlake, Texas; four grandchildren, Kirby (Joel) Cruce Westervelt, Nolan Oliver Cruce, Veronica Elinor Alvarez, and Lamberto “Beto” Alvarez III; two brothers, Edward (Kay) Bender and Kenneth (Martha) Bender of Cape Girardeau; two nephews and four nieces.




Margaret (known as Marge to her family and many friends) was born on June 12, 1922, in Cape Girardeau. She attended Central High School and received a degree from Southeast Missouri State Teachers College (now SEMO) in Cape Girardeau. While teaching in Cape, she met and married Robert A. Cruce of Morrilton, Arkansas. They moved to St. Charles in 1952. Margaret taught History and English at T.L. Hardin Junior High School for 25 years and was chair of the English department for many years. She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Cape Girardeau. During her 58 years in St. Charles, she was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church and Our Savior Lutheran Church and belonged to several bridge clubs, reading clubs, AAUW, and church Birthday Club, Mother’s Club, and Altar Guild.




Visitation will be at 1 p.m., Friday, November 6, with a memorial service immediately following at 2 p.m. at Baue Funeral & Memorial Center, 3950 West Clay, St. Charles, Missouri.