Peggy Lynn Koelmel

Alfred Tennyson wrote "I am a part of all that I have met." Today, we celebrate the life of Peggy Lynn Koelmel, who has left a wash of pigment on the canvas of our lives, as child, daughter, sister, cousin, wife, aunt and friend. She is part of the portrait that we are all painting of ourselves, as we move through the days. And we are part of hers, indelibly. An artist at heart, Peggy took great joy in paintings, sculpture, and photographs and spent many hours meandering through antique shops, flea markets and on the internet, looking for things both beautiful and unique. She had an eye for color and design that made her home a destination both comfortable and attractive. She was a perfectionist, who did not hestitate to strip a cabinet of layers of paint over and over, if the result did not meet her vision. Her perfectionism spilled over into her work, where her attention to detail and commitment to quality made her a superior technician. She believed in hard work, and, whether it was going to college at night, or working during the day, she expected nothing but first rate contributions, from herself and the people around her. Most of all, however, Peggy loved her children. Kristi, Jordan and Max meant everything to her, and much of her passion and activities were focused on giving them the best of life's opportunities; from the best gymnastics training to the best college experience available. Her dearest wish is that they move forward into life with the strongest of educational foundations for the future. So as we all gather to say goodbye, we can all take comfort in the fact that, while the years of her life seem short, the wealth of her life is deep, rich and abiding. We all walk away with a part of her sketched in a corner of our own portraits, or captured in great thick, colorful, brush strokes. We are richer for having known her. We are richer for having loved her. We have met Peggy, and she is part of us.