Margery “Peggy” Fitzgerald passed away on December 23, 2020 at the Inn of Freedom Village in Holland, Michigan.
Born September 15, 1920, Peggy was a lifetime Holland resident. She spent her youth on 12th Street developing friendships that lasted nearly a century.
When her parents purchased the land on Ottawa Beach Road from Hope College, Peggy moved to Bramblewood, a place she would call home for the rest of her life. It was here that she nurtured her sense of adventure, love for animals and her green thumb. She competed in Hunter Jumper competitions throughout the country with her trusty horse, once showing at Madison Square Garden. She took flying lessons at the neighboring Park Township Airport, obtaining her pilots license, and at the onset of WWII trained in Texas with the Women Airforce Service Pilots before marrying her sweetheart and childhood friend, Wayne Robert Fitzgerald.
Her parents owned the West Michigan Furniture Company on Seventh Street and when Big Fitz returned home from the war, he ran the family business and Peggy dedicated herself to her family. She shared her love with all and especially enjoyed hosting the neighborhood children as a cub scout leader.
The last ten years, Peggy enjoyed far quieter pursuits and the warmth and generous spirit of the staff at Freedom Village. She loved reading, needlepoint, knitting and reminiscing about her youthful summers spent at Ottawa Beach and Holland history. And when her vision allowed, we frequently received recipes and news articles with underlined passages signifying her interests and her desire to share them with us. Though a great conversationalist with a warm sense of humor, Peggy was a quiet, shy person. She studied two years at Julliard and played the piano very well but, shied away from playing in front of others. She had a familiar cue to signal her desire for quiet time often ending our visits with the phrase, “That’s all I know” and “see you sometime”.
She was a participating member at Hope Church and cherished the many friends and fellowship she enjoyed there. She was thrilled that “her steeple” was repaired.
Peggy was preceded in death by her husband, Wayne Robert Fitzgerald, her parents Marguerite Hummer Kirchen and Charles Kirchen, her brother Robert C. Kirchen and Lois and Dr. Irwin Fitzgerald.
She is survived by her favorite son Rob (Sharon) Fitzgerald, daughter Melinda (Ken) Bauman, grandchildren Adriana and Joshua, great grandson Jackson; nieces and nephews Kitty (Bob) Stothart, Barb (Ken) Boesherz, Kevin (Cindy) Fitzgerald, Mary Beth Fitzgerald, Ann (John) Trumble, Sean (Barb) Fitzgerald and Sarah Kirchen Rolph.
In light of these challenging times and Peggy’s love for her birthday parties, the family is planning a service and celebration of life on September 15, 2021. Her wishes were that memorial contributions be made to Hospice of Holland. The family is being served by Langeland-Sterenberg & Yntema Funeral Homes, 315 E. 16th St. Holland, MI 49423. To leave a message for the family, please visit www.langelandsterenberg.com.
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