Margaret A. Maass

Sioux City - Margaret A. Posey-Maass, 65, of Sioux City passed over to the Spirit World Saturday, Feb. 8, 2014, at a local hospital, and began her journey.
Memorial services will be 11 a.m. Friday at Whitfield Methodist Church. Graveside services will be 10 a.m. Friday in Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. today, with the family present 6 to 8 p.m. and a prayer service at 7 p.m., at Morningside Chapel, Christy-Smith Funeral Home.
Margaret was born on May 9, 1948, in Sioux City to Kenneth and Elaine (Kudrle) Posey. She graduated from Central High School. Margaret graduated from Morningside College in both 1970 and 1972 with a bachelor of art degree, with her first degree in sociology and social work, and her second degree in English and secondary education.
She was united in marriage to Dr. Ralph Maass on July 12, 1997, in Sioux City.
Right after college, she worked as a high school teacher in Ponca, Neb. After several years of teaching and doing social work in the area, she worked for five years in the education and counseling departments of the Boys Club of Sioux City. In 1984, she accepted an instructor’s position at the Nebraska Indian Community College in Macy, Neb. As well as being an instructor, she was also a substitute teacher in the Sioux City Community School District.
In addition to her full-time teaching responsibilities, she was the head of the Liberal Arts Division of the college. She conducted parenting, self-esteem, and customer service workshops, and facilitated women’s support groups. She was also one of two instructors facilitating the positive parenting seminar sponsored by the Office of Indian Education. Margaret was no stranger to working with the Siouxland Indian Community. In her career at NICC, she was faculty member of the year many times. She was a teacher, counselor, workshop facilitator, and advocate of children’s rights who believed that giving a child a strong sense of self-esteem is the most important significant contribution a parent can make in a child’s life.
She furthered her education in the field of human relations and multi-cultural studies at the University of South Dakota, and received teaching certifications in gerontology and parenting from the University of Nebraska and in customer service from the University of Iowa. She was nominated and listed in 1996 for the Who’s Who Among American Teachers. She was a member of Whitfield United Methodist Church. Margaret was a truly amazing and inspirational person who touched many lives, including those of her students. She enjoyed cooking and loved to entertain. Her life was her family, especially her nephews, and her students.
Those left to honor her memory include her husband, Ralph; brother, Bill (Shelly) Posey of Sioux City; stepsons, Carl Maass of Sioux City, and Phillip (Bekka) Maass of West Des Moines; nephews, Randy (Kim) Ritchison, Billy (Tracy) Barnett, Stephen Posey, and Geoffrey Posey; aunt, Juanita Posey of Sioux City; cousins, Dr. Fred (Cindy) Baltz of Galena, Ill., Everett (Pat) Baltz of North Platte, Neb., Ron (Lorna) Posey of Sioux City, Dr. Guy (Lynn) Posey of Sioux City, and Marilyn Turner of Sioux City; and special friends, Linda Swanberg of Sioux City, and LaDanna Carrillo, "MeTana" (Little Bird Woman) of South Sioux City.
She is preceded in death by her parents; an infant sister; and infant nephew.