Peg Merrigan passed away on October 9, 2013 at age ninety after a life of bringing love, service and good spirit to her family, church and all whom she met along the way. Her graciousness and sense of humor will be missed by all who knew her. She was a rare individual and one of the nicest persons you could ever meet. She was an avid reader with an inquiring mind and possessed an encyclopedic memory, qualities that served her to her final day.
She was born February 17, 1923 in Philadelphia, PA to her parents Joseph and Margaret Eagan Miller and grew up with her brother Joe “Buddy” Miller in Philadelphia and Tenafly, NJ. She attended Holy Angels Academy (NJ) and Rosemont College (PA) on a scholarship.
During WWII, Peg worked in the office of Bendix Aviation and also served as a USO volunteer. After the war, she began to travel with a group of lifelong girlfriends, eventually covering three continents in her travels over the years with many dear companions along the way. On one of these excursions, she met John Merrigan, a WWII veteran and engineer from NYC.
On May 6, 1950 she married John in Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Tenafly. They were married for 57 years until John passed away in July 2007. She was a loving and devoted mother (and den mother) to four sons: Tom (Tortola, BVI), Tim (Parker, Colorado), Terry (St. Croix, USVI), and Gerry (Petersburg, Alaska) and the proud grandmother of Hayley and Mitchell Merrigan of Colorado.
The Merrigan family moved to Maitland, Florida in 1965 when John was transferred to Orlando. Peg was a devoted parishioner and supporter in the St. Mary Magdalen parish church since 1969. Peg was a very active member of the St. Vincent de Paul Circle in the CCW (Council of Catholic Women) and dutifully worked on innumerable service committees as well as attending Catholic conferences throughout the world with her beloved and longtime Circle friends.
In addition to being survived by her sons and grandchildren, Peg is also survived by her four nieces Jo Ann Kohler, BJ Jenkins, Mary Alice Wyatt, and KJ Miller, all who loved and have great respect for their Aunt Peggy.
Her life and Mass will be celebrated at St. Mary Magdalen Church on Friday, October 18th at 11:00 am by Father Charlie Mitchell. Burial will be at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Cemetery in Tenafly, NJ where she will join her husband, brother and parents. Peg always loved her family, her friends, the beach and her many colorful cats.
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