Obituary for Margaret Louise Romph
Margaret Louise Romph, 15, of Jefferson City, Mo., passed away Monday, May 6, 2019 at Women’s and Children’s Hospital in Columbia, Mo., surrounded by her loving family.
She was born on August 20, 2003 in Jefferson City, Mo., a daughter of Eric and Sherline (Trice) Romph.
Margaret attended Jefferson City Public Schools and was proud to become a member of the Jefferson City Jays Cheerleading Team. She also was a member of Capitol City Cheer and enjoyed competing in cheerleading competitions with her friends.
Margaret was a lifetime member of First Baptist Church, and their congregation was a huge source of support for her. She was recently baptized in front of her church and was excited to show her faith to so many.
Margaret was injured in a car accident on January 2, 2009 when she was five years old. She was dead at the scene and then revived. She became a quadriplegic, paralyzed from the neck down and on a ventilator from the accident. This NEVER slowed Margaret down because her positive outlook and sassy attitude helped her overcome obstacles despite the odds. She was truly a miracle.
The support Margaret has received since the accident has been simply amazing. The group “Miracles 4 Margaret” started after the accident and has grown into thousands of family and friends showing their love to her in multiple ways. Margaret cherished the golf tournament each year that the group put together because she was able to see all her friends. She also was proud to be a Miracle Child for the MizzouThon and excited when “her boys” from the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity at the University of Missouri adopted her into their fraternity.
One of the greatest inspirations from Margaret’s journey came from a friend, Olivia, who started “Little Box of Sunshine.” Unfortunately, Margaret has been through many long rounds of hospital stays and Olivia saw that not every child in the hospital had the support that was shown to Margaret. She started a non-profit that has a mission to brighten the days of children in hospitals by letting a ray of sunshine into their room. Her group does it by filling fun-filled boxes with different activities that bring a smile to the children and a personal note that shows others care about them.
Margaret had many passions and was too stubborn not to live life to the fullest each day. She loved to cook; she would spend hours in the kitchen with Grandma Pat, family and friends dictating how to do things her way. She cherished time with her grandparents and was 100% Paw Paw’s girl. She looked forward to designing Build-A-Bears, loved being covered in soft and fluffy blankets, and taking trips to the zoo to see the panda bears. A favorite activity with friends was dictating coloring because in her mind, she was the one coloring the vivid pictures. Family time was everything to her; she loved watching “Family Feud” with her dad, staying up late with her mom watching “Days of our Lives” and “Law and Order: SVU,” ice skating with her brother, inspiring her sister, Katharine, to be a respiratory therapist, and daily conversations with her sister, Erin, that always ended with saying “I seriously freaking love you,” to each other.
One of Margaret’s last texts to her mother read, “I just wanted to tell you that I am the luckiest person in the world to have you as my mom, I love you.” If you had a chance to know Margaret, you know firsthand that she was the light that many of us needed in our lives. She will be remembered for her independence, her positive smile, being a best friend to her siblings, and always getting the last kiss...until we see you again, not forever. Margaret has gained her wings and we know she is experiencing our Lord’s love. She is no longer fighting any of her earthly disabilities and is now running and cartwheeling through the streets of purple and gold.
Survivors include: her parents, Eric and Sherline Romph of Jefferson City; three siblings, Erin Regan (husband Ethan) of Jefferson City, Katharine Romph of Jefferson City, and Patrick Romph (wife Abbie) of Jacksonville, Nc.; nephew, Braydin Regan; maternal grandparents, “Paw Paw” Robert Trice of Harrah, Ok. and “Grandma” Pat DeRozier (husband Jerry) of Jefferson City, Mo.; paternal grandmother, “Grammy” Kay Brejcha of Jefferson City, Mo. and “Maw Maw” Jeanetta Trice of Norman, Ok.; great-grandmother, Betty Trice of (Yukon, Ok.); aunts and uncles, Kimberly Hibbard (husband Randy) of Morrilton, Ar., Karla Bass (husband Tanner) of Jacksonville, Nc. and Gene Trice of Harrah, Ok.; numerous cousins; and her beloved furry companions, Lucky and Rocky.
She was preceded in death by an infant sister, Kelley Grace Romph; grandpa, Gary Romph; uncle, Jeffrey Trice; and aunts, Gracie Romph and Jennifer Confer.
Visitation will be held at First Baptist Church from 2:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Friday, May 10, 2019. The family encourages friends to wear their Miracles 4 Margaret shirts during this time or anything purple to honor Margaret.
A Celebration of Margaret’s Life will be conducted at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, May 11, 2019 at First Baptist Church with the Reverend Dr. Doyle Sager officiating. Graveside service and interment will follow at Riverview Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to Little Box of Sunshine, P.O. Box 105773, Jefferson City, Mo. 65110.
Funeral arrangements are under the care of Freeman Mortuary
She was born on August 20, 2003 in Jefferson City, Mo., a daughter of Eric and Sherline (Trice) Romph.
Margaret attended Jefferson City Public Schools and was proud to become a member of the Jefferson City Jays Cheerleading Team. She also was a member of Capitol City Cheer and enjoyed competing in cheerleading competitions with her friends.
Margaret was a lifetime member of First Baptist Church, and their congregation was a huge source of support for her. She was recently baptized in front of her church and was excited to show her faith to so many.
Margaret was injured in a car accident on January 2, 2009 when she was five years old. She was dead at the scene and then revived. She became a quadriplegic, paralyzed from the neck down and on a ventilator from the accident. This NEVER slowed Margaret down because her positive outlook and sassy attitude helped her overcome obstacles despite the odds. She was truly a miracle.
The support Margaret has received since the accident has been simply amazing. The group “Miracles 4 Margaret” started after the accident and has grown into thousands of family and friends showing their love to her in multiple ways. Margaret cherished the golf tournament each year that the group put together because she was able to see all her friends. She also was proud to be a Miracle Child for the MizzouThon and excited when “her boys” from the Phi Delta Theta Fraternity at the University of Missouri adopted her into their fraternity.
One of the greatest inspirations from Margaret’s journey came from a friend, Olivia, who started “Little Box of Sunshine.” Unfortunately, Margaret has been through many long rounds of hospital stays and Olivia saw that not every child in the hospital had the support that was shown to Margaret. She started a non-profit that has a mission to brighten the days of children in hospitals by letting a ray of sunshine into their room. Her group does it by filling fun-filled boxes with different activities that bring a smile to the children and a personal note that shows others care about them.
Margaret had many passions and was too stubborn not to live life to the fullest each day. She loved to cook; she would spend hours in the kitchen with Grandma Pat, family and friends dictating how to do things her way. She cherished time with her grandparents and was 100% Paw Paw’s girl. She looked forward to designing Build-A-Bears, loved being covered in soft and fluffy blankets, and taking trips to the zoo to see the panda bears. A favorite activity with friends was dictating coloring because in her mind, she was the one coloring the vivid pictures. Family time was everything to her; she loved watching “Family Feud” with her dad, staying up late with her mom watching “Days of our Lives” and “Law and Order: SVU,” ice skating with her brother, inspiring her sister, Katharine, to be a respiratory therapist, and daily conversations with her sister, Erin, that always ended with saying “I seriously freaking love you,” to each other.
One of Margaret’s last texts to her mother read, “I just wanted to tell you that I am the luckiest person in the world to have you as my mom, I love you.” If you had a chance to know Margaret, you know firsthand that she was the light that many of us needed in our lives. She will be remembered for her independence, her positive smile, being a best friend to her siblings, and always getting the last kiss...until we see you again, not forever. Margaret has gained her wings and we know she is experiencing our Lord’s love. She is no longer fighting any of her earthly disabilities and is now running and cartwheeling through the streets of purple and gold.
Survivors include: her parents, Eric and Sherline Romph of Jefferson City; three siblings, Erin Regan (husband Ethan) of Jefferson City, Katharine Romph of Jefferson City, and Patrick Romph (wife Abbie) of Jacksonville, Nc.; nephew, Braydin Regan; maternal grandparents, “Paw Paw” Robert Trice of Harrah, Ok. and “Grandma” Pat DeRozier (husband Jerry) of Jefferson City, Mo.; paternal grandmother, “Grammy” Kay Brejcha of Jefferson City, Mo. and “Maw Maw” Jeanetta Trice of Norman, Ok.; great-grandmother, Betty Trice of (Yukon, Ok.); aunts and uncles, Kimberly Hibbard (husband Randy) of Morrilton, Ar., Karla Bass (husband Tanner) of Jacksonville, Nc. and Gene Trice of Harrah, Ok.; numerous cousins; and her beloved furry companions, Lucky and Rocky.
She was preceded in death by an infant sister, Kelley Grace Romph; grandpa, Gary Romph; uncle, Jeffrey Trice; and aunts, Gracie Romph and Jennifer Confer.
Visitation will be held at First Baptist Church from 2:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Friday, May 10, 2019. The family encourages friends to wear their Miracles 4 Margaret shirts during this time or anything purple to honor Margaret.
A Celebration of Margaret’s Life will be conducted at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, May 11, 2019 at First Baptist Church with the Reverend Dr. Doyle Sager officiating. Graveside service and interment will follow at Riverview Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to Little Box of Sunshine, P.O. Box 105773, Jefferson City, Mo. 65110.
Funeral arrangements are under the care of Freeman Mortuary