Margaret “Peg” Stevens

Margaret “Peg” Stevens, beloved sister and aunt, passed away with family at her side on March 10, 2025, at Trinity Health Hospital. At her request, no funeral service will be planned, however a memorial service for family and friends will be on Saturday, March 29, 2025 at Holland Home where she currently resided. Peg was born in Painesville, Ohio on November 2, 1933, to Roy and Margaret Stevens. She lived in Mentor, Ohio until 6th grade. Peg was a Class of 1951 graduate of Cuyahoga Falls High School. Peg received her bachelor’s degree in English and Speech/Drama from Bowling Green University in 1955. Peg worked at Akron University as a clerk-typist and secretary to the head of the Registrar’s Office and as secretary/office assistant for the sales office of E.I. DuPont in Akron, Ohio for 3 years. She received her Master of Education (+ 76 hours) with a major in Speech/Hearing Pathology from Kent State University in 1959. Peg worked as a speech therapist in the public schools of Jackson, MI until 1961. She accepted a job as a speech therapist, civilian employee with the Department of Defense, U.S. Air Force, teaching speech therapy in the American Military Schools in Wiesbaden, Germany. She traveled extensively throughout Europe during her five years while living there. Peg then moved to California in 1966 to work as a speech therapist with the Pismo Beach Unified School District for a year. From 1967 to 1982 she taught English in Ventura, CA at Anacapa Jr. H.S. and then transferred to Buena High School to teach 9th and 11th grade English until she retired in June 1993. Her students were very important to her, and she enjoyed many lasting relationships with them over the years. Peg became an avid bird watcher in 1978 and shared her love of ornithology by leading many bird counts and watches both in California and Florida. After her retirement, she was active in VAS and CVAS, (Audubon Society) leading bird walks and serving on the VAS Board of Directors for 5 years. She loved being a volunteer at the Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology in Camarillo, California during the 1990’s. Peg was able to travel extensively around the contiguous United States in her “camper van” with her beloved dogs, first Coquain and then Muffin, as companion. She was a member of Happy Faces (camping club) and met many lifelong friends. Peg then moved to Florida where she became a resident at Traveler’s Rest in Dade City, Florida. She helped edit the park newsletter, The TR Times Newspaper. Peg was a lifelong learner and enjoyed reading articles about birds and many other topics and then would share them via clippings with family and friends. Peg was the last surviving member of her beloved friend group from her Class of 1951. Peg is survived by her sister, Harriet Vaughn and brother-in-law, Michael of Caledonia, Michigan; her nephews, Eric (Jackie and children, Leah [Srini Iyer and children, Livia and Keeran], Nathan [Emily Kukura-Vaughn] and Megan [Ashton Wofford]) of Wilmington, North Carolina, Bryan (Amy and children, Emily [Ben Lundquist and daughter, Adeline] and Jacob [Kellie]) of Caledonia, Michigan, and Matt (Julie and children, Abby and Grace) of Midland, Michigan. Peg enjoyed a close relationship with her maternal aunt and uncle, Molly and Harold Lamb. Peg was also beloved by numerous cousins. Peg was preceded in death by her father, Roy W. Stevens; mother, Margaret G. (Lamb) Stevens: and sister, Jean Katherine Stevens. Peg will be missed dearly and remembered forever by those whose lives she touched. A memorial service will take place on March 29, 2025, at Holland Home, Waterview Room, 2565 44th St. SE., Grand Rapids, MI 49512. The family will receive guests at 10 am, a memorial service at 11 am with lunch following.