Peggy McDonald

MONONA - In the small town of Caledonia, Wis., a woman gave birth alone by a creek to a titan named Margaret Baird.

Margaret learned the rewards of hard work on the farm, and appreciating the love from her six siblings. She often talked about the times they spent together and the love they had for each other.  She cherished the joy of riding her horse to school, later moving to Portage where she graduated high school. She didn't have to look far for the love of her life. She met Jim McDonald- just five doors down the street. During their marriage of 56 years, they were great role models of values, kindness, and hard work for their children, grandchildren and great-grandson. They had four kids, Ann, Jill, Scott and Tim followed by six grandkids and one great-grandson.

Peggy graduated from Madison General School of Nursing and worked at Madison General Hospital/Meriter Hospital for 40 years. Her work ethic from the farm, and love, compassion and sense of humor from her family made her an amazing nurse. She was loved by her co-workers, doctors and patients. A gifted and talented nurse, many moms in the neighborhood would reach out at all hours for advice on cuts, bruises, sprains, and fevers. She always had her tools of the trade for anybody that needed help.  After retirement she continued to go back and work part-time at Meriter.

Peggy put hockey moms on the map in the 70s when she was on the first board of directors for Monona youth hockey, now the Madison Patriots. She was a one-woman show, doing everything from bake sales to skate sharpening, stuffing snacks and drinks in hockey bags for the team and even suiting up to compete moms against players. It was an annual game and she loved it. As her family grew older, she found herself organizing an investment group with friends by studying stocks in magazines and newspapers and was an early follower of Warren Buffet. Everybody chipped in to watch their investments grow.

In her 80s, she picked up the love of UW basketball. She was invited to lunch with UW’s head coach, Greg Gard, at the Kohl Center, who said “I expected tougher questions from you.” She replied “I think you’re doing a fantastic job” with a thumbs up. Peggy sat courtside with Greg for practice and toured the team locker room after practice.

Peggy had volunteering in her blood and enriched her kids with the importance of caring for others. She was appointed to the Monona Senior Citizen’s Commission in 2008. Peggy advocated for those 50 and older in Monona with recommendations to the Monona City Council. Her participation in the Senior Center and the community made her an excellent advocate for issues concerning retirees in Monona.

Peggy was a life-long committed member to the Monona Methodist church and enjoyed many hours volunteering.

Over 50 years, her love for quilting kept many people across the country warm. With her cherished group of quilters, many quilts were donated to hospitals, shelters, and auctioned for charity. In addition to quilting keeping her mind and body young, her love for water aerobics enriched her. She loved everything about it, especially the sense of community from which she thrived in. She loved the personalities of the instructors and the energy she got from all her friends that joined in.

In addition to Jim, the love of her life was her grandchildren. If she hadn’t heard from them by noon, she would reach out to connect. She would always start and finish a conversation with how much she loved them. She would make and pack-up an Angel Food cake and send it across the country to make sure they had a birthday cake they loved. Look out for each other, be kind, and careful, that was always her message. Her love was as strong as anything ever seen, but the love that Mischa, Andrew, Jordan, Alex, Max, Zach and James gave her might have been a little stronger.

On Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023, Peg passed away after a brief illness at Meriter Hospital with family by her side. She was surrounded by a nursing staff that had the same loving, caring, sense of humor, compassion, hardworking, positive attitude that she did. She left an impact of values on more than just her family.

The family of Peggy McDonald thanks you all for your support and kind words!

Love, Ann McDonald, Jill McDonald and Tom Anoszko, Scott and Connie McDonald

Tim and Jen McDonald, Mischa McDonald-Lynch and Justin Kreft, Jordan Lindenmeyer and Mark Dyer, Andrew McDonald-Lynch, Alex Lindenmeyer, Max McDonald, Zach McDonald, James Dyer

A visitation will be held at GUNDERSON EAST FUNERAL AND CREMATION CARE, 5203 Monona Drive, Madison, from 3 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 16, 2023, with a service from 4:30 p.m. until 5 p.m. and a celebration of life at Waypoint Public House, 320 W. Broadway, “E,”

Monona, from 5:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family would like donations to go to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Madison.  Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.

Gunderson East

Funeral & Cremation Care

5203 Monona Drive

(608) 221-5420