HOLYOKE
Beloved wife, proud mother and grandmother, dear friend, skilled teacher, world traveler, avid reader, poet, and lover of opera, Margaret F. "Peggy" (Rowe) Dreger passed away Monday, February 3, at Mercy Hospital in Springfield. Her husband and children were at her side. The world has lost a bright, shining star. Peggy was born August 1, 1933 in Watertown, Massachusetts to William and Margaret Rowe. She was raised in Belmont, graduating from Belmont High School in 1950 and Regis College in 1954 with a degree in English. Her first teaching job was at a one-room schoolhouse in Acton, following a brief stint as a stewardess for Northeast Airlines. Peggy earned a Master’s Degree in Community Leadership and Development in 1978 from Springfield College, where she also taught. While raising six children, she held many professional positions including Project Headstart Director, Western Massachusetts Health Planning Council, as well as Director of Foundations Research at Western New England College, retiring in 1998. Peggy enjoyed many years of retirement on Cape Cod and in Isla Mujeres, Mexico with her husband, children and her many dear friends. She loved her book discussion and creative writing groups, and supported college education for several young people through the Isla Mujeres Scholarship Fund. Peggy is survived by her devoted husband, Neil Dreger, her sister, Janet (Rowe) Kiah of Newton, and her brother William Rowe of Falmouth, her brother-in-law Monsignor Francis X. Dreger, as well as six children, Barbara Egan (Dennis) of South Hadley, Janet Dreger (Vincent DeSantis) of Wellesley, Margaret Maurukas of Falmouth, Rosemary Dreger Carey (Jaime) of Falmouth, Maureen Dreger Peňa (Carlos) of Marshfield, and John Dreger (Rachel Siegel) of Great Barrington. She leaves ten grandchildren, Michael and Ryan Egan, Alison and Emily Rose Smizer, Juliet, Jonas and Margaret Maurukas, John (Jack) Pena, Maura Carey, George and Patrick Dreger, three great grandchildren, Bailey, Brooklyn and Kevin and a great grandchild due in May. A Funeral Mass will be held on Friday February 7 at 11:30am in Blessed Sacrament Church, 1945 Northampton Street. Burial is private. Calling hours will be held Friday morning from 9:00 to 10:45am in the Barry J. Farrell Funeral Home, 2049 Northampton St, Holyoke, MA 01040. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Isla Mujeres Scholarship Fund, https://www.islascholarships.com/ with a note “in memory of Peggy Dreger”or by mail to: Jana Epperson, 801 Florence St, McKinney TX 75069.
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