Obituary for
Margaret “Peggy” Ruth Dutton
Obituary – Peggy (Margaret) Dutton (nee MacMillan)
Died peacefully at home after a 13-year journey with several different cancers. With family at her side and friends in her thoughts, she chose to leave this planet on Thursday April 4, 2019. Peggy leaves behind: Jeremy, her husband of almost 46 years, her son Andrew, his wife Shealah and their son Evan, her daughter Kate and her husband Murray Chidley, her sister Janet George, her brother George MacMillan, and his wife Siobhan Muldowney. Peggy is also survived by nieces and nephews who always appreciated her kindness, epitomized by gracious acts such as baking lemon meringue pie instead of ordinary banana birthday cake. Peggy was born in Sherbrooke, Quebec on November 25, 1950, where she lived until moving to the Quebec Labrador coast with Jeremy to teach and adventure in the early 1970s. After a few years they returned to the Eastern Townships of Quebec where she taught, farmed, gardened, and started a family. She was a leading light in the battle to keep local English libraries vibrant through the Parti Quebecois/referendum years of the late 70s and 80s. In the late 80s the family relocated to Brighton, Ontario and eventually settled in the Perth area, which became their long-term home. Peggy continued to teach and volunteer in the community for many years. Her family and friends can attest to her culinary talents (whether over campfire, wood stove, or gas range), her welcoming home, and her ability to win an argument (usually all in good fun or as mental exercise). Peggy referred to herself as a secular humanist, and her wit and intelligence was honed by an insatiable appetite for reading works of sci-fi, literature, non-fiction, poetry, and history. Her love of gardening and homesteading led to a market gardening business as well as volunteer work as a Certified Master Gardener. She had an enduring appreciation for nature and animals, and took great pleasure and solace in spending time near water; moonlit canoe paddles, early morning swims in calm lakes, or just sitting to watch the water and ‘come into the peace of the wild things’ (as Wendell Berry wrote). She was, in fact, a renaissance woman. The family wishes to thank all the people at the Perth hospital who were involved in Peggy’s care, including Doctors Last, Riehl, Del Grande, and Kuchinad, as well as Leslie Del Grande. Many thanks to the committed staff involved with MAID (Medical Assistance in Dying) – a caring and sympathetic group providing medical expertise and comfort. Great thanks also goes to the staff and volunteers at the Perth Chemotherapy Clinic. Their care and kindness was beyond reproach. At Peggy’s request, in lieu of flowers any donations in her memory should be directed to the Great War Memorial Foundation for Palliative Care. Family and friends are invited to a gathering to honour Peggy’s life to be held on Saturday April 6th, 2019 from 2:00 to 4:00 P.M. in the Blair & Son Family Centre, 15 Gore St. West, Perth
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Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Margaret Peggy Ruth
Dutton 1950 2019..
Death notice for the town of: Smiths-Falls, Province: Ontario