Margaret Palmer Margerum
Margaret Palmer Margerum, 95, passed away peacefully on December 24, 2016, at Legacy
Memory Care, Falmouth, Maine. Peggy was born on July 7, 1921, to Augustus Gillette Palmer
and Jane Shields Palmer, in Brooklyn, New York. She married George Morton Margerum in
1948.
Peggy grew up in Malone, NY, and graduated from the University of Vermont following U.S.
entrance into WWII. At UVM, she played field hockey, basketball, softball, and badminton,
and was nominated to the women's All Sports Club. During WWII, Peggy served as a
Lieutenant in the W.A.V.E.S., stationed in Washington, DC., where she was part of the Navy
unit that decoded Japanese military messages. The decoding unit made an important
contribution to victory in WWII, cracking the Japanese code early and thwarting enemy
movements. Following WWII, Peggy attended the University of Lausanne, Switzerland, and the
Sorbonne, France, to study French and Art. Later, Peggy took courses at Columbia University
and received a Masters of Arts, Teaching, from John Carroll University.
While winning the War, Peggy met George, a Captain in the Army Corps of Engineers who built
roads through the Asian jungles but was then stationed in D.C. They met in the National Art
Gallery where he famously helped her put her winter boots on as they were leaving. Peggy
agreed to marry George after completing her educational tour of Europe. Europe provided
Peggy with many stories to share over the years including tales of parties and skiing
expeditions throughout the Alps with fellow students as well as impressions of post-war
Europe. Many of her companions had also served in the U.S. Armed Forces and were studying
on the G.I. Bill. They remained life long friends.
George and Peggy raised four children as he pursued an engineering career around the U.S.
specializing in marine construction. They settled in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, and Peggy taught
English in the Cleveland Public Schools, retiring from Margaret Spellacy-Junior High School in
1991. At Spellacy she served as Department Chair and union representative to the Cleveland
Teachers Union. Her tales from these years included days standing on the picket line with her
fellow teachers crowded around a flaming barrel for warmth and sharing union cheers with
passing truck drivers. Enduring friendships grew out of these experiences. Peggy always
stressed the importance of education and learning all you could about other people and
cultures.
Once Peggy retired from teaching she reveled in time spent with her grandchildren and the
chance to travel again. Eventually age took its toll and she left Chagrin Falls to live closer to
her family in Maine, settling at Legacy Memory Care in Falmouth in 2014. Peggy’s family is
grateful for the excellent medical and supportive care she received at Legacy and how happy
she was there in her final years. Also thank you to the caring people of Compassus Hospice for
your gentle attention during her last days. Peggy will never be forgotten for her kindness, her
ability to reach out and connect to others, and her sense of fun and adventure!
Peggy is survived by her children, Jane M. Campbell (Bruce dec’d.), Chagrin Falls, OH, Ann
Sawchuck (Peter), Cumberland, Sara Sloan (Jeffrey), Sandwich, NH, and Mark Margerum (Liza
Nelson), Brunswick; grandchildren, Mark Svette (Susanne), Christy Svette, Sara Clayton
(Jayson), Kelsey Sloan, Margaret Sloan, Emily Sawchuck, George Sawchuck, and Laurel
Margerum; great grandchildren, Grace, Alethea, and Margaret Svette, Conor and Callan
Clayton; step-grandchildren, Holly O’Flaherty and Scott Campbell, and step-great
grandchildren. Peggy is also survived by Mary Dutcher Fowler, Andover, MA, her fellow
adventurer from Europe. George predeceased Peggy in 1988.
A graveside service will be held next summer in Syracuse, New York.
Online condolences may be expressed below.
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