Lady Margaret Keplinger (nee Paullus) 1947-2005

Lady Margaret Keplinger (nee Paullus) died in her Glen Ellyn home at the age of 57 on Monday, January 17th, following a four-year battle with brain and lung cancer. Lady Margaret, a well known artist in Memphis, her home town, graduated in 1967 from Central High and in 1975 received her BFA from the Memphis Academy (College) of Art. Lady Margaret will be best remembered in the Memphis area for her oil portrait paintings of children. Her first job as a graphic illustrator lasted for seven years with Hallmark Cards in Kansas City. She interrupted the Hallmark career with a year off, returning to Memphis to work at Cleo Inc.Gift Wrap, designing Christmas cards and wrappings. Lady Margaret continued freelance graphic design out of her home studio after 1983, designing calendars and cards for PS Greetings and Fantus in Chicago, among other publishing companies. While living in northwest Indiana from 1988 to 2001, Lady's watercolor career blossomed. She enjoyed great success after moving to Indiana, showing her watercolor work in Memphis, Kansas City, Amarillo, Indianapolis, at the Art Barn (Valparaiso) and with the Hobart Art League & Chesterton Gallery (northwest Indiana) and at Heartland Artists & Illiana Artists (Chicago Southland).

Her honors include many juried shows, purchase prizes, and sales of oils, acrylic and watercolors. She studied under Ken Hosmer, Diane Maxey, Frank Webb, and other watercolorists and absorbed the floral and landscape compositions of France, Italy, the Southwest U.S.A. where she traveled to germinate her design and composition. Lady Margaret was an active member of the John Sevier Chapter of the Children of the American Revolution in Memphis and an inactive member of the D.A.R. She participated in her church family, the Anglican All Souls Fellowship, and also at St. Marks, Glen Ellyn. Visitation will be held on Friday, January 21, from 4 to 9 p.m. at the Hultgren Funeral Home, 304 N. Main St. in Wheaton. A commemoration service will be held this Saturday, Jan 22nd, 11am, at the All Souls Fellowship in Aldersgate Methodist Church, 1753 S Blanchard Road, Wheaton. A memorial service will be celebrated Jan 29th, 11am, at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 1101 Park Drive, Munster, Indiana

Lady Margaret is survived by her loving husband of 25 years Donald Keith Keplinger, MBA, and their two children, John Steven Keplinger, studying at Washington University for a Masters degree (M.E.); daughter Margaret Louise "Peggy" Keplinger, who attends Glenbard South HS. Peggy is a track and cross-country runner, who earns high marks in scholastics and community service activities. Also surviving are Lady Margaret's sister, Elizabeth Pattijo Isaacson, M.S.Ed, of Kendrick, ID; and a brother, Wayne Settle Paullus, M.D., of Amarillo, TX. Lady Margaret was the daughter of the later Dr. Wayne Settle Paullus, DDS, and Margaret Pickens Paullus.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be directed to The Memphis College of Art in Memphis, TN, or to the Wellness House in Hinsdale, IL.
Information and on-line guest book at hultgrenfh.com or call Hultgren Funeral Home at 630-668-0027.