Northwood, NH – Margaret (Peggy) Wallace, 83, died peacefully of kidney failure on April 26 at her home.
She was born on April 4, 1943, at home in Northwood, NH to Francis T. Wallace and M. Frances (Holmes) Wallace. Her childhood was full of cousins and a loving home.
Peggy was graduated from Coe-Brown Northwood Academy in 1961. After high school, she went on to study at Peter Bent Brigham School of Nursing in Boston, graduating in 1964. In 1978 she earned her BSN from Boston State College, and in 1979 she earned her MSN from the University of Pennsylvania.
During the 45 years of her nursing career, Peggy worked in clinical settings at Westminster Hospital in London, England; Mt. Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, MA; Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in Boston; Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia; St. Luke’s Roosevelt Center in NYC; finally, the Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston.
Beginning in 1971, Peggy served as a flight nurse in the United States Air Force Reserve with the 69th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron. She flew missions worldwide, caring for military personnel and their families. This time included flying wounded soldiers home from Vietnam. After 15 years, in 1985 she ended her service as a major.
Peggy was passionate about travel, going all over the world. She had many lifelong friends from her military service, nursing school and her career. In recent years, she formed close friendships with her mahjong club ladies and the Wednesday morning coffee group at Johnson’s (the OWLS). She was very active in her school of nursing alumni association.
Peggy loved living in Boston and was happy to share the city with visiting friends and family and introducing culture to her young nieces and nephews. She delighted in gardening and served as president of the Evening Garden Club of West Roxbury. She enjoyed museums, opera, concerts of every kind, road trips, ice cream, and time spent with friends and family. Peggy always, always lived with at least one cat, but usually more than one. She was a long-time member of the Old South Church in Boston.
The family thanks Suzanne Rehbein, Peggy’s beloved niece, for the special care she gave Peggy during her period of declining health.
Peggy is survived by her sister, Roberta N. Stearns; loving cousins, nieces and nephews and extended family. She was preceded in death by her parents; sister Joan F. (Tuttle) Crummey; brother-in-law William F. Crummey and brother-in-law Gene F. Stearns.
There will be a Celebration of Life at the Northwood Advent Christian Church on School Street, Northwood NH on May 9 at 1 pm. The burial will be at 11:30 am at the Fairview Cemetery on Ye Olde Canterbury Road, Northwood. In lieu of flowers, Peggy requested donations be made to Operation Smile, PO Box 758588, Topeka, KS 66675-9939 (operationsmile.org/smile).
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