Margaret W. Stowell

Born Margaret Mae Wulff in Burlington, IA on February 8, 1926, Peggy moved to Peoria, IL in the late twenties. Growing up in Peoria, she met her future husband, Jim Stowell, and they graduated from Peoria Central High 1943. Jim joined the Army Air Corps and learned to fly, but was discharged before seeing active duty. Peggy and Jim were married in Peoria on August 14, 1946, and Jim began a lifelong career with United Airlines. The first few years involved moves to Chicago, Denver, and back to Peoria, where Jim (1947) and John (1948) were born. In early 1949, Peggy, Jim, and the boys moved to Denver with United. Kathy (1950), Carol (1953), Margo (1956) and David (1961) completed the Stowell clan in Denver. Peggy happily spent her days raising six children, with Jim frequently away on flights. She thoroughly enjoyed the job of being a den mother, room mother, scout leader, and eventually a chauffeur for her kids. She was an accomplished seamstress, and an excellent knitter. She continued to knit well into her 80s, providing loving creations for her great-grandchildren. In 1980, with the kids grown and out of the house, Peggy and Jim moved to San Clemente, California, where Jim would retire from flying in 1985. Peggy took advantage of the perfect climate and earned prizes for the orchids she grew at home. Peggy also played golf and traveled with Jim to golf outings with the Orange County Seniors as well as many travels on their own. She joined the local arts group and became an accomplished artist, specializing in water colors. In her spare time she was an avid reader, worked crossword puzzles daily, and planned the family eating schedule around her favorite television show, Jeopardy. She authored a collection of whimsical poems, and sent hand-painted birthday cards out to family and special friends. After Jim's retirement, Peggy and Jim traveled extensively, seeing sights around the country and the world, meeting up with high school classmates, and visiting family in Colorado and Missouri. Peggy was lucky enough to have flown in an open cockpit trainer, a hot-air balloon, a glider, and the Concorde, in addition to other more traditional aircraft. In 2005, Peggy lost the love of her life, her devoted husband Jim, to a short battle with cancer and other complications. It took the whole family by surprise, and they did all they could to help fill the void. Peggy moved to Denver in late 2005, to a new home at the Heritage Club retirement community. She began playing bridge several days a week, enjoying conversations and stories with her new friends, who enjoyed many of the same things. She continued to paint at a slower pace, and managed to make two wonderful trips to Europe with her children in 2007 and 2008. In the last years of her life, she would often reflect on how lucky she was to have lived such a full, happy life and how proud she was of her children and their families. Her children would quickly tell her how lucky they were to have known and loved such a remarkable lady, their mother Peggy Stowell. Margaret Stowell passed away peacefully on Tuesday, October 16th, 2012 in Denver, of congestive heart failure and chronic lung disease. A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, November 3, 2012 at 2:00pm at the Heritage Club of Denver, 2020 South Monroe Street, Denver, Colorado 80210. In lieu of flowers, memorials my be made in Margaret's namae to a charity of your choice. Please share your memories of Margaret and condolences with her family by signing the guestbook.