May 31, 1947 – August 10, 2025
Margaret (Mag) Ann McCuen (Hay), age 78 of Pleasant Prairie, WI, and formerly of Worthington, MN, died August 10, 2025. She passed peacefully at a beautiful hospice facility in Wauwatosa, WI.
Margaret was born in Big Stone County, Ortonville, Minnesota, to the parents of Lowell Henry and Dorothy Berthine (Pries) Hay.
Mag graduated from Ortonville High School in 1965. She went on to earn her K-6 elementary teaching degree from Winona University in Minnesota in 1970. After graduation, she spent 3 months traveling through 13 European countries. In November of 1970, she enrolled in Moorhead University to earn her K-12 Special Education teacher degree by 1972. While there, she taught at a private school. 1972-1976 Mag taught in Biglow and Worthington, MN.
Mag married Steven Wendall McCuen at First English Lutheran Church in Ortonville, MN, on August 3, 1974. April 11, 1977, their daughter Stephanie Kay McCuen was born in Worthington, MN.
From 1974 to 1983, they lived on their farm in Hersey Township, near Brewster, MN. In 1983, they moved to their farm in Lorain Township, in Nobles County, near Worthington, MN. Mag taught at the Lakeview Special Education School from 1985 to 1989. She then taught Special Education at Worthington High School from 1993 to 2007. When they retired from farming in 2014, she and Steve built a home in Pleasant Prairie, WI, in 2017.
Mag was a cancer survivor for 27 years. She was a member of the American Lutheran Church in Worthington, where she was the President of the Women’s Organization, taught Sunday School music opening, Vacation Bible School music, and belonged to the Circle. She was a member of the American Legion Women’s Auxiliary, Ransford Chapter #43 Eastern Star, and was Worthy Matron as well as holding other offices. She served as the Teachers’ Rights Representative for 5 years and a member of the Worthington and Minnesota Teachers Union for 22 years. Margaret fought alongside environmental activists Ralph Nader, Lois Gibbs, and the Sierra Club to keep waste dumps out of rural America during the farm crisis in the 1980s.
Mags’ favorite times in life were with her family, including grand-dogs and grand-gerbils. She enjoyed traveling, singing, playing her grand piano, dancing, reading, and riding her Grandpa Hay’s 1931 Ford pick-up in parades. She also enjoyed golf, swimming, good friends, women’s rights, non-conformity, and old movies.
Margaret is survived by her husband Steve McCuen, daughter Stephanie (Tim) Kowalski, grandsons Tyson, 14, and Dylan, 11, of Pleasant Prairie, WI. God’s children Dana Manso of Colorado Springs, CO, and Erin Doyscher of Round Lake, MN.
Margaret is preceded in death by her parents, Lowell (December 6, 2010) and Dorothy (October 16, 2010) Hay. Her father-in-law, Melvin (May 19, 1995), and mother-in-law, Dorothy (November 19, 2010) McCuen.
A Celebration of Life in Pleasant Prairie, WI, will be held in August 2025, dates pending.
A Celebration of Life in Worthington, MN, will be in September 2025, dates pending.
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