Peggy Soderberg   1940 -2016

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From: Tom O'Brien

2/27/2016: It is with great sadness that I inform you that Peggy passed away yesterday at 5:40 in Nyack Hospital. 

To help think of  something to say about Peggy, I  went back to read the "update" that Peggy prepared in 2008 for our 50th reunion.  It's a wonderful summary of much of her life, and also of her hopes.  Her own words are the best words.  Here they are:

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Where has 50 years gone!!!

I just celebrated 45 years in the publishing industry working for Allyn and Bacon as a customer service supervisor from1963 through1986 when Simon and Schuster acquired Prentice Hall and we became one big happy family. After many buyouts, the company is  now known as Pearson Education (the largest publishing company in the world.)

Through my job, I traveled throughout the United States.  I have enjoyed extensive traveling over the years. In fact my love of traveling began at age 19 when I cruised to Europe by ocean liner and met Gail at the pier in Naples. From there Gail and I spent three months traveling through Europe. We returned to the US on the USS United States where we hung out with Clint Weitman’s friends (working on the ship for the summer from the Merchant Marine Academy.)

When I retire, I am planning trips to parts of the world that I have never been like Australia and New Zealand. Besides all the countries in Europe, I have been to Hong Kong, Japan, Taipei, Thailand Africa,  and most of the Caribbean Islands. Greece and Aruba are my favorites.  Probably because of the beaches.

Lest I forget, casino gambling is my favorite pastime.  Wynne and I would go to Atlantic City a couple times a year and I would go with Gail to her annual Insurance seminar.  I miss Wynne.  She was a wonderful friend and I am devastated by her death.  Gail is like the sister I never had.  I am very fortunate to spend all the holidays with Gail and her family.  

Shortly after my mother died, I met a great guy, Don, with whom I spent 15 happy years together until his death from cancer in 2005.    We would have bought a town house down by Gail and Alfred.  Its amazing how your life and plans can change in a heartbeat. 

My greatest memories from school are the lifelong friendships I have made.  These friendships are what's keeping me in Pearl River.  I am very blessed.  The reunion committee are a great group of people.  We have been working together on the reunions since 2003 and have shared laughter and tears.  The pizza parties are a great way to meet the spouses of the group also.

I still live in my childhood home together with my Newfie Toby and cat Callie.

Life is good.

I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ALL IN 50 DAYS.

Peggy

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Obituary in The Journal News, March 3, 2015

Margaret "Peggy" Soderberg, a life-long Pearl River resident of Pearl River, NY, passed away on Friday, February 26, 2016 at Nyack Hospital. After graduating from Mitchell College, Peggy was employed by Allyn & Bacon Publishing Company in Rockleigh, NJ where she worked for almost 50 years surviving numerous acquisitions and retired in 2011 from the current employer, Pearson Publications. Over the years, Peggy's involvement with the alumni group of PRHS Class of 1958 in helping to organize reunions and get-togethers has been her most rewarding activity.

Peggy is survived by two aunts, Genevieve Watjen of New Jersey and Ethel Holland of Florida along with a multitude of loving cousins and very dear friends.

Services will be held at 10 am, Thursday, March 3, at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 112 N. Main Street, Pearl River, NY. Internment immediately following at George Washington Cemetery, Paramus, NJ. In lieu of flowers, please consider making your donations to the PRHS Class of '58 Sunshine Fund made payable to "Pirates of 1958" and mail to Tom Obrien, 43 E. Washington Avenue, Pearl River, NY 10965.

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Title page of the Church Bulletin from Peggy's memorial service.

The pall bearers at the memorial service were

Pete Amann

Carl Angioli

Gene Cooper

Tom O'Brien

Dave Stolte

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Here is a video, made by Gene Cooper, of Tom O'Brien's and Gail Scales' remembrances of Peggy at the memorial service  (19 min).  If you couldn't be at the memorial service, this video conveys so much about Peggy's life and, in a way, our class.

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In Gail's remembrance, she tells how she and Peggy became friends on a kindergarten playground.  Here they are, sitting next to each other in 1st Grade.

full class photo

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Some posts from Facebook

Al Fischbein

We may not have had the top class that graduated from PRHS, but I can't imagine that there was one that was more caring. Peggy was just one example of one of us that was loved and who was so loving. It is interesting seeing whom of us would develop into class leaders, and Peggy certainly fit the bill. She will be remembered for being a kind and wonderful person.

Anne Silverman

Oh so sad! I thought she could have won this battle! Peggy will be missed so much by our class of '58. She worked so hard to make our little reunion one of the best last August.Rest in piece, Peggy

Bob Stokstad

Peggy loved our Class and Pearl River so very much. It’s safe to say that we were an important part of her life as well, especially those of us who remained geographically close to Pearl River.. But many of us kept in touch with Peggy through her work on the reunions we have all enjoyed over the years. Peggy was the driver behind our Class 75th Birthday Party in August, and she celebrated her own 75th the day after. That gathering was important and special to her. We will miss her greatly at our next reunion.

Our sympathy to Peggy’s relatives and especial to Gail, Peggy’s lifelong friend and, in these last difficult months of her life, Peggy’s caregiver.

Peggy Leo

In memory of my dear kindergarten friend Peggy Soderberg who passed away recently. Elementary school memories. A 1948 Mrs. Scoville dance recital.

Photos below, in order:  First Grade, Miss Coates 3rd Grade, Mrs. Wolf 5th Grade, Mrs. Magoon 6th Grade, Mrs. Scoville's Dance Recital, 1948  (Click for larger photo.)

Links to high resolution photos on our Class website:

First Grade,  Miss Coates 3rd Grade,  Mrs. Wolf 5th Grade,  Mrs. Magoon 6th Grade

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You are invited to contribute to this page - photos, memories of Peggy,  Please e-mail me. Thanks.