Obituary of Margaret Elizabeth Bendik
Margaret “Marge” Elizabeth (Feuster) Bendik was born Sept 23, 1922 in Uniontown, Pennsylvania to Ralph Wallace Feuster and Mary Belle (King) Feuster. Following the early death of her mother and being the eldest daughter of 7, Marge raised her 5 younger siblings. Her elder brother was serving in Europe during the war.
After graduation from high school, Marge worked at the Uniontown Herald-Standard newspaper before she married Albert “Herk” Bendik, who she met a Uniontown Senior High School. They were married in July 1944.
Over the next two years, Marge and Herk traveled around the country for his job as a radio operator for American Airlines in the early days of civilian aviation. The y lived in Tucson, Knoxville, Buffalo, Boston, Cleveland, the Tennessee Tri-Cities area, Phoenix, Syracuse, Kansas City, Nashville, Indianapolis and Washington D.C. Finally, in 1946, they settled in the Greater Los Angeles area when Herk requested a permanent posting with American Airlines in Los Angeles.
From 1946 to 1948, Marge was employed as the secretary for Ub Iwerks at Disney Animation Studios in Burbank before she and Herk began their family. Their first daughter, Ardell, was born while living in Burbank, followed by their second daughter, Marilyn, while living in Van Nuys. Eventually they settled in West Los Angeles, where sons Richard and Robert were born.
Even though she left Disney, Marge was rarely idle. She managed the family and was active in her church women’s group. In the 60’s she ran an in-home daycare for neighborhood kids where several of her own children found life-long friends.
As with the beginning of their marriage, Marge and Herk were frequent travelers both around the U. S. and internationally, collecting a wealth of experiences.
While living in West Los Angeles, she and Herk were active members of Gateway Christian Church followed by St. John’s Presbyterian Church. In 2015 they moved to Simi Valley to be closed to their son, Richard, and his family.
Marge passed away peacefully Monday morning, September 30, 2019 having recently celebrated her 97th birthday. She is survived by Albert (Herk), her husband of 75 years, children Ardell Callas, Marilyn (Jim)
Sachs, Richard (Jo Ann) Bendik, and Robert Bendik (Sharon Mills), seven grandchildren, James and Elizabeth Sachs, Andrew and Zachary Bendik, Bryan, Andrea and Sam Bendik, two sister, Ruth (Dan) Franks, and Frances Antram, and brother Sam (Ruth) Feuster.
Donations may be made in Margaret’s memory to the Adventist Health Simi Valley Foundation in recognition of the wonderful and attentive care she has received at http://bit.ly/MargaretBendik