May 26, 1920 to September 25, 2009
Peggy McKeachie passed away suddenly and peacefully with family at her side in Victoria on September 25, 2009 at the age of “I’m 89, you know!” Born in Victoria, Mom, Nanny, G-Nan, Auntie Peg was a friend to all who met her. Her husband Ian predeceased her 44 years ago. She is also predeceased by brother Doug Whyte and sister Mary Barber. Peggy was always there for her 5 children: John (Sandi), Jane (Maurice) Vaesen, Anne McKeachie, Cathy (Jeff) Sinclair, and Bob (Sue); 12 grandchildren: Kent, Mark, Craig, Steven, Karen, Jennifer, Jessica, Liane, Brandon, Kyle, Alex and Nicole and 2 great-grandchildren: Kesler and Rebecca. She also leaves her brother-in-law Jimmy (Joyce) McKeachie. The family wishes to acknowledge cousins Joan Watt and Noni Whyte and family friends Kay and Dale Barber for their support in recent years. After graduating from Victoria High School, she worked for BC Electric. She was an amateur athlete – basketball (“I can shoot better than you!”), softball (“I was pretty good, you know!”) and tennis (“I love tennis!”) whose husband was inducted into the Victoria and BC Sports Halls of Fame. But when he left her all too soon, she continued to raise 5 kids in the small house on Glasgow Avenue where she lived for 47 years, returning to the workforce after 23 years, retiring in 1985 from the Greater Victoria School Board. As the nest emptied, she moved to her condo at The Poplar and remained there until this past January when she moved to The Kensington. Her new flat-screen TV enabled her to follow her beloved Blue Jays, the Canucks, golf and tennis. All this in and around her bridge games as she remained sharp to the end, keeping in touch with her coffee buddies and dear friends almost as much as her family. Never a day passed when she didn’t laugh and make everyone she encountered do likewise. A breast-cancer survivor for over 12 years, please feel free to offer donations in Peggy’s name to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation and/or the BC Heart & Stroke Foundation. Service 2:00 pm, Monday, October 5, 2009 at McCall Bros. Floral Chapel, Johnson & Vancouver Street, Victoria, BC.
34 Responses
Hi to all of Peggy’s kids,
Your may not remember me but we lived on Rutledge Ave. from 1959-1963. Your Mom was so good to me as I knew very few people in Victoria. I remember all of you kids so well and what a wonderful family you were. With 2 small girls I would push the baby buggy to your Mom’s for collee or tea almost every day.
I thought a lot of her and want to offer our sympathy to your family.
My sister-in-law Hazel Redmond sent me the obit. The obit was just like your Mom full of love and laughter. What a woman she was. Our best wishes and sympathy, Donna and Leary Redmond
A Tribute to Peg;
What a marvellous send off for a Marvellous Person.
Greg Douglas commented to me,” That it was the Best Funeral he’s attend”
What a life, what Family.
God Bless you Peg and God Bless the Family,
Gerry & Stephanie Lister
To all of the Mc Keachie family…my love and prayers go out to you to day and in the days to come…latterly since my Dad (Doug Muir a closer cousin!) passed away in 2001 our connection with Auntie Peg has been only by birthday phone calls..but what a joy those calls were and what love and laughter she offered us.. . truly one of the very bright sparks in the family. May her gift of humour and amazing energy and interest be with you. Nan
I was very sorry to learn of Peggy’s departure, ironically at my mother’s memorial service this afternoon. With Jack English having left us in May, the Topaz Heights elders are sadly reduced. We tend to think of our own generation as the group that hung around together, but our parents, and certainly Peggy among them, were the ones who really made us what we are, and she did good work.