27 February 1936 - 23 January 2021
On the morning of 23 January 2021, Margaret Isabel (nee Monro) Peterson, at home, gracefully entered into the arms of her Heavenly Father, leaving behind a family whom she loved with all of her heart and soul.
Margaret “Peggy” was born on 27 February 1936 in Wall, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania to Walter Robert Monro, Sr. and Helen Katherine (nee Worth) Monro who both preceded her in death. She leaves behind her beloved sister, Rosemarie (nee Monro) Prytulak, of Monroeville, Pennsylvania and her much-loved brother, James Alexander Monro II, of Wall, Pennsylvania; her adored sister-in-law, Florence M.(nee Peterson) Bair, of Big Spring, Texas; and her cherished cousin, Anna Margaret Worth of Illinois. She also leaves behind loving nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her brothers Walter Robert Monro, Jr.; Robert Joseph Monro and sister, Ellen Catherine (nee Monro) Repasky.
Margaret was the widow of SMSGT William Michael Peterson, USAF, Ret. who passed away in October 1995. She leaves behind her daughter, Rebecca Lynn (nee Peterson) Schuster and son, Matthew William Peterson, his wife, Sharon (nee Barker), of Bel Air, Maryland.
Her grandchildren were very special lights of her life and she adored watching them come into her family and grow. They made each day, especially holidays, so joyful and special. She leaves them with special memories [Florida, Virginia] they will carry with them always. Robert B. Schuster, Jennifer R. Schuster, Jeremy M. Schuster, Joshua A. Schuster, his wife Shawna (nee Grace), (all of Bel Air) and Samantha Peterson-Scionti, (wife Tye) of Milford, Massachusetts, their daughter T.J. and Megan Garcia (daughter of Sharon) of Bel Air, Md. She was blessed to see two great grandchildren come into her life, Sophia A.and Cole M. Schuster, children of Jeremy and Amanda Lee (nee McClain). She felt blessed to have with her family, Jen Hicks and her daughters Lacey and Keira.
Margaret leaves behind her five best friends, Patsy Kautz, Maxine Coste, Frank and Betsy Roese and Jane Scocca and enjoyed very much the lunches shared at Red Lobster, bus trips across the country, trips to Ireland & Alaska, stories of lost bird watching cameras and many other get-togethers. She cherished and loved her dear friends and included them always in her thoughts and prayers.
Margaret was born and raised in Wall, Pennsylvania where she would say that “When you drove into Wall, the sign read ‘Welcome to Wall - and on the other side it would say Thank you for Visiting’.” She graduated from Westinghouse Memorial High School in 1953. On 4 August 1956 on Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma, she married the love of her life and started her amazing journey as wife, mother, grandmother, grammy and friend.
Margaret, a proud and humble United States Air Force wife, was privileged to have travelled to many parts of the world with her family. During the Vietnam War, she worked for the Department of Defense and served as a Volunteer Candy Striper. Among her proudest achievements in 1974/75 was to interview each Vietnam P.O.W. Returnee, being the liason between them and their families to reunite them. Her husbands military career took them to Hawaii where she continued her own Civil Service Career and volunteered in the Cub Scout Organization. Their Air Force career finally took them to Tucson, Arizona where her husband retired. They truly enjoyed the Arizona sunsets and loved to swim in their own swimming pool. She continued in her own career both on Davis Monthan Air Force Base then to Fort Huachuca where, in 1979, she earned her EEO internship which brought her and her family to Aberdeen Proving Grounds. Margaret was an integral part in developing the American with Disabilities Act and received personal commendations from President George H. W. Bush. During her time at A.P.G., Margaret served on the Harford County Civilian Advisory Board. She retired from Civil Service in 1993 and volunteered as Human Resources Consultant for the Harford County Office on Aging. Later, she worked for the National Institutes of Health in Baltimore. Of all her family, Margaret was the most avid football fan and rooted for her two favorite teams, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Baltimore Ravens. She truly enjoyed the opportunity she had, with her son, to travel to Pittsburgh and attend a game there as they played the Baltimore Ravens.
The family expresses their gratitude to all her doctors and medical personnel but especially to her long-time physician Dr. Bernard Birnbaum of Johns Hopkins, whom she always spoke so highly of.
There will be a private Memorial Service to honor her on her birthday, 27 February 2021, with Father Joe Zollick offer presiding at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Churchville, MD. Final interment to come at a later date. Contributions can be made in her name, to Purple Heart or any American Veterans Organization. Schimunek Funeral Home was responsible for final arrangements.
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