November 1, 2025 – Chicago, IL – In the shadow of Wrigley Field, where legends are etched in bronze and cheers echo eternally, Margaret Sandberg stands as the quiet guardian of a love that outlasted fame, frailty, and finally, farewell. When her husband, Chicago Cubs icon Ryne Sandberg, passed away on July 28, 2025, at 65 after a valiant battle with metastatic prostate cancer, the baseball world mourned a Hall of Famer. But for Margaret — his rock, his partner of three decades — the loss carved deeper: a shattered heart, mended only by memories of a bond that defied the diamond’s glare.
Choking back tears at a private memorial amid seas of wreaths and tear-streaked fans, Margaret whispered words that pierced the silence:
“You said baseball was your first love… but I know, you were my last.”
Those words, shared in a eulogy that blended grief with grace, have become a haunting refrain — a testament to a love sweet and enduring, now laced with unending pain.
A Partnership Forged in Renewal: From 1995 to Forever
Margaret Koehnemann entered Ryne’s life like a steadying curveball in a stormy at-bat. He was the freshly retired Cubs superstar, reeling from a 1995 divorce from high school sweetheart Cindy White (with whom he shared children Justin and Lindsey). Margaret, a neighborhood friend with three children of her own — BR, Adriane, and Steven — offered not just companionship, but a second chance at family. They married in August 1995, blending their lives in suburban Phoenix, then Lake Bluff, Illinois, into a tapestry of five children, grandchildren, and quiet joys.
Together, they founded Ryno Kid Care, a charity bringing mentors, meals, and even clown “doctors” to children battling serious illnesses — a reflection of their shared compassion, far from the spotlight Ryne once commanded. “She has made my life fun and has made me a better person,” Ryne wrote in a 2024 Mother’s Day post, celebrating their nearing 30th anniversary. “The experiences, events, and memories are endless.”
Through the Cancer Storm: Margaret, the “Team Captain”
Ryne’s 2024 prostate cancer diagnosis — first declared metastatic, then briefly beaten, only to return and spread — tested their union like no pennant race ever could. Margaret became his anchor, his “rock,” managing treatments, shielding him from the frenzy, and ensuring he savored every stolen moment with family.
In an Instagram update just months before his death, Ryne credited her unwavering command:
“These past six months have been a journey and test for both of us, but she has taken complete control of my battle with cancer like a Team Captain… With her by my side, I can conquer anything!”
She was there at his Lake Bluff home on that final July evening, surrounded by their blended brood and grandchildren, as he slipped away peacefully. “Ryne was surrounded by his loving wife Margaret, their children, and grandchildren,” the family posted on his verified Instagram, a digital wreath amid global tributes.
A Legacy of Love Beyond the Lines
Chapter
Milestone
1995 Marriage
Blended family of 5 children; start of Ryno Kid Care
Career Comeback
Margaret supported Ryne’s 1996 return to Cubs
Hall of Fame (2005)
Stood by him at induction, embodying quiet strength
Cancer Battle (2024–25)
“Rock” through chemo, radiation, and remission/recurrence
Final Days
At his side, whispering love’s last lines
Ryne’s on-field brilliance — 10 All-Stars, 9 Gold Gloves, 1984 MVP, the legendary “Sandberg Game” — defined “Ryno” for Cubs fans. But Margaret anchored the man behind the myth, turning potential fractures into unbreakable bonds.
Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts called him “a hero to a generation,” but whispers among teammates echo Margaret’s role: the one who made the superstar human. As Wrigley honors him with statue-side vigils and #RynoForever chants, her pain — raw, unrelenting — reminds us: Legends fall, but love endures.
Amid the wreaths and well-wishers, Margaret’s echoed vow lingers: Their story isn’t over. It’s eternal — a home run hit into the heart of forever.
Our hearts go out to Margaret Sandberg and family. For prostate cancer resources, visit Stand Up To Cancer. Follow Cubs tributes, Ryne Sandberg legacy stories, and baseball’s enduring loves.
