Margaret "Peggy" Pearson

Margaret "Peggy" (Robertson) Pearson, age 95, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, December 26, 2023, at the High Pointe House in Haverhill after spending Christmas Eve and Christmas day surrounded by her loving family.

She was the wife of the late Carl E. Pearson, with whom she shared 69 years of marriage. The daughter of Scottish immigrants, Peggy was born in Boston on January 9, 1928 to the late Christina (Patterson) Robertson and George Robertson. She grew up in Dorchester and was the sixth of nine siblings.

Peggy was a graduate of Jeremiah Burke High School, and worked as a secretary for Dunn and Bradstreet in Boston before marrying Carl, the love of her life. They settled in Swampscott where they resided for more than 60 years and raised their four children. As the children grew up, she worked as a nursery school teacher at the First Congregational Church and held administrative positions at Union Hospital and Salem State College. One of Peggy’s greatest gifts was her ability to see individual strengths and treat everyone with kindness and respect. Devoted to her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, Peggy kept tabs on all her family’s interests and activities and frequently called to check in with everyone.

She enjoyed traveling to Scotland with her siblings to visit the Scottish side of the family and also took many trips with family to Europe, California, Bermuda and Hawaii. Her favorite restaurant was Hawthorne-by-the Sea where she celebrated many birthdays and anniversaries with family, always ordering the fisherman’s platter or baked stuffed shrimp.

She cherished her many nieces and nephews and their growing families. Her Robertson Christmas parties were legendary, drawing a large number of clan members each year to Swampscott.

Peggy leaves: her daughter Kathy O’Brien and husband Rich of Boxford; her son Carl and wife Olga of Lynnfield; her daughter Barbara and husband Mark of Keene, NH; and her daughter Janice and husband Kirk of St. Petersburg, FL.

Peggy loved her grandchildren and great grandchildren dearly and she had a special bond with each one of them. She never missed sending a birthday card and attended (or watched on video) numerous dance and piano recitals, concerts and sports events to cheer on her grandchildren and great grandchildren.

She leaves nine grandchildren: Jacqueline O’Brien of Houston, TX; Anna Deraney of Windham, NH; Diana Taxiera of Bridgewater; Sean Gavin Of Keene, NH, Zachary Gavin of St. Petersburg, FL; Laura Nicastro of Newton; Julia Hundley of Allston, Paul Hundley of St. Petersburg FL. and Gabriela Pearson of Lynnfield. She also leaves six loving great grandchildren: Abigail, Nolan, Amalia, Andreas, Jordan and Colin.

The last surviving member of her family, Peggy was predeceased by her sisters: Ina Lonsdale, Christine Derby, Isabel Gassett, Helen O’Neill, Mary Lavosseur; and brothers John, George and Thomas Robertson. Peggy loved her brothers, sisters, and all of her in-laws dearly.

The family wishes to say thank you for the love and support from Peggy’s neighbors, her beloved caregiver Angelica, her good friend Jeannie and the staff at High Pointe House in Haverhill, who made her comfortable and offered kind support to the family.

All Peggy's services and her burial will be private.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Peggy’s name to the ASPCA® (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals® via the provided link: https://www.aspca.org/ways-to-give