Mary Margaret Intfen, age 98, died peacefully Tuesday, December 8, 2020 at Atchison Senior Village with family and loving care givers by her side.

Mass of Christian burial will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday, December 14, 2020 at St. Benedict’s Church with Rev. Jeremy Heppler, OSB as celebrant.  A rosary will be recited prior to the Mass at 10:00 a.m. at the church.  The church will follow social distancing guidelines and mandates the wearing of masks, please.  Inurnment at Mt. Calvary Cemetery will take place at a later date.  In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to St. Benedict’s Church, Maur Hill-Mt. Academy School or Mount St. Scholastica Monastery and may be left in care of Arensberg-Pruett Funeral Home, with whom final arrangements have been entrusted.

Mary Margaret was born April 15, 1922 in St. Joseph, Missouri to Charles R. and Mary Ella McBride Downs.  She moved to Atchison as a child.  She graduated from Mount St. Scholastica  Academy in 1939 and from Mount St. Scholastica College in 1943 where she earned a degree in chemistry.  Following graduation she worked in Chicago in a research lab for three years.  From 1969 to 1989 she was employed as a bookkeeper at Mount St. Scholastica Monastery.

She married George Intfen, Jr. February 17, 1947 at St. Benedict’s Church.  They enjoyed a loving, faith-centered marriage for more than 60 years.  He preceded her in death on June 6, 2008.  She was a member of St. Benedict Parish and a former Eucharistic minister.  She was a longtime member of the Atchison Hospital Auxiliary, Junior Guild and Red Hats.  She was an avid bridge player and enjoyed playing with the same club for decades.

She and George were longtime K.C. Chiefs fans and were season ticket holders for many years.  Their attendance record at home games was almost as impressive as their years of daily mass attendance.  She viewed her role as a devoted mother to her six children as the most important purpose for her life.

Mary Margaret is survived by her children: Mary Ann Carroll (Bob Lieb), Durango, CO; Chris (Margy) Intfen, Colleyville, TX; Joe (Lisa) Intfen, Leawood, KS; Phil (Sandy) Intfen, Atchison, KS; and Rosemary (Terry) Diebolt, Topeka, KS; daughter-in-law, Sandy Intfen, Ft. Collins, CO; sister-in-law Mollie Downs, Rifle, CO; 16 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren.  She was preceded in death by her husband, her son George Intfen, III; daughter-in-law, Barbara Intfen, son-in-law Mark Carroll, daughter-in-law, Rae Intfen, her parents, sisters Rita Feeney and Catherine Herzog, and brother Robert Downs.