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After she and her husband, Charles, moved to Centerville in 1999, she quickly found ways to help in her new community.
In addition to church activities, the soon to be octogenarian is actively involved in Hospital Auxiliary, Exline Royal Neighbors of America and resident advocate at Centerville Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.
Conger is proud of Mercy Medical Center Auxiliary's accomplishments. About $50,000 was raised the past three years for hospital support. The Exline RNA has donated more than $10,000 to First Responders, Fire Department, Lord's Cupboard, care centers and a kidney transplant.
She enjoys making craft items to help with the groups' fund-raising efforts..
As a resident advocate, she regularly visits about 10 residents and attends quarterly meetings to help find and implement ways to improve the lives and living conditions for care center residents.
Her favorite activity is teaching adult Bible study. For the past four years she has conducted weekly Bible studies at Continental, St. Joseph's Hospital Long Term Care and Centerville Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. In Ottumwa, she organized and taught studies at Pennsylvania Place and Vista Woods.
She has taught Sunday school and Vacation Bible School classes for many years and is currently the substitute teacher for children's Sunday school classes at Orleans Church north of Moulton. She also "takes turns playing piano or organ for Sunday services."
Her personal card/letter ministry has brightened the lives of hundreds of family and friends with a cheery greeting in commemoration of a special occasion in the recipient's life, a holiday or just to let someone know she is thinking of them.
After graduation from a northeast Nebraska high school, Conger taught country school and attended Wayne State Teacher's College and Midwestern School of Evangelism in Ottumwa.
While attending Midwestern, she met and married Charles Conger who was preaching in a Missouri Christian church.
As a preacher's wife, she helped Charles in his ministries in churches in Missouri, Iowa and Colorado from 1950 to 2004 when he retired.
An avid cook - she baked her first pie at age 9 - her hospitality is legendary. Charles recalls the time "strangers knocked on the door. They stayed a week," he chuckled.
In the last 12 years, the Congers have entertained more than 1,600 guests, family and friends, for at least a meal, often overnight or more.
When the youngest of their four children started to school, Marge enrolled at Drake University, graduating in 1970. She began a 20-year career teaching junior high reading at Norwalk.
Realizing a long time dream, the couple purchased a 430-acre farm near Blakesburg after retirement and for 11 years raised Charolais cattle before moving to Centerville.
Conger finds time in her busy schedule to pursue numerous hobbies including daily cross word puzzles, reading, playing and listening to music and yard work, especially meticulously tending beds and planters of bright flowers.
"The Bible says Jesus went about doing good, and I try to pattern my life after His example," she said. "A supportive, understanding husband makes it possible to do many of the activities and projects I enjoy so much."
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