Margarete Westphal Hiett, 88, of Murfreesboro, passed away peacefully in her sleep Tuesday March 13, 2007 at her home. Margarete was born April 18, 1918 in Bromberg, Germany and grew up in Hanover where she married her first husband, Erich Ranft. After her husband was killed in action during World War II, she immigrated to the United States in 1951 and married Reginald Hiett, a US Army veteran of World War II. She became an American citizen in 1955 and lived in Nashville until moving to Murfreesboro in 2005 to be near her family. Margarete was a member of First Lutheran Church in Nashville and attended Spirit of Joy Lutheran Church in Murfreesboro. She retired from Vanderbilt University as the Department Secretary for German and Slavic Languages after 25 years.

Margarete was preceded in death by her parents, George Ferdinand and Gertrude Haase Westphal; husbands, Erich Ranft and Reginald Hiett; brother, Kurt Westphal and sister, Liesel Rosseck.

Mrs. Hiett is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Michael Westphal Hiett and Wendy of Christiana; grandchildren, Katelyn Margret Hiett of Christiana and Alecsya Marie Hiett of College Station, TX; sister, Illa Wulf of Toronto, Canada; nephew, Jurgen Wulf of Toronto, Canada; nieces, Gabrielle Schick of Toronto, Canada and Brigitte Stoyke of Dusseldorf, Germany. Visitation with the family will be Friday, March 16, 2007 from 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm and Saturday, March 17, 2007 from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm at the Murfreesboro Funeral Home.

Funeral service will be Saturday, March 17, 2007 at 2:00 pm at the Murfreesboro Funeral Home with Pastor Jason Dail and Pastor Carl Brown officiating.

Memorial donations may be made to Community Care of Rutherford County, 901 County Farm Road, Murfreesboro, TN 37127, 615-893-2624.

Those wishing may send condolences online at www.murfreesborofuneralhome.com

Murfreesboro Funeral Home, 145 Innsbrooke Blvd, Murfreesboro, TN. www.murfreesborofuneralhome.com 615-896-2229.