Margaret A. Stoughton

Some of the fun and laughter went out of the lives today for those who loved our Peggy.  Margaret Stoughton passed away in the early hours of January 23rd at Robert Packer Hospital. She had suffered a major stroke on the previous weekend.

Peggy was born November 14, 1946 in Dumont, NJ and raised in Suffern, NY.

She was the youngest of three children born to the late Harold and Margaret Stoughton.  Peggy attended school in Suffern graduating High School in 1964. Later she got her BS from SUNY Oswego and her MS from SUNY Cortland.

From an early age Peggy spent most of her summers in a little cottage on the shores of Cayuga Lake, "Peggy's Lake" as the children later called it. Although Peggy lived in many places, Ithaca was the place she always regarded as home and where her very special friends lived.

Peggy began her teaching career in 1969 at East Hill School.  Then, after several years, took a position in Colombia, SA. When that contract was complete, she returned to Ithaca and more work with the ICSD.  Peggy loved vacationing in Jamaica and grew to love the island so much that she eventually moved there, staying for several years before returning to the Pittsburgh area.

Peggy's first and last teaching positions were undoubtedly her favorites. First at East Hill and last working with prisoners in the Penn State area helping them prepare and take their GEDs. She loved these students and they loved her.

This was the pattern Peggy left wherever she was, people were drawn to her, her smile, her sense of humor, her wit, her caring.  She had friends everywhere.

Peggy is survived by her brother, Robert (Valerie) Stoughton; her sister, Marna (Frederick) Plank; her nieces and nephews, Michael Stoughton (Marja Meyers), Sara (Tom) Gardiner, Jennifer (Kinh Quoc) Mac, Alison (Robert) Moylan; her grandnieces and nephews, Connor, Elise, Colin, Claire, Tyler, Kevin, Aspen and Ozzy; her very dear life long Ithaca friends, Kathy Kelly, Pat Holmes and Ellen Ryan and the Finegan and Rosenbaum families, Lee Stork of PA and of course her adored felines.

Peggy's friends and family would like to to extend their sincere gratitude to the staff of the Ithaca Family and Children's services for the constant time, love and support that was always there for Peggy. Our thanks are everlasting to the staff and folks who live and work at McGraw house, especially Jane, Frances, Vanessa and Shelly, who brought such happiness and contentment to Peggy in the last years. We ask if you are planning on making a donation in Peggy's memory, please make it to McGraw House, 221 S. Geneva St. Ithaca, NY 14850 or Family and Childrens Services 127 W. State St, Ithaca, NY 14850.

A memorial gathering will be held at McGraw House on Monday, February 10th 2020 at 1:00 pm.

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Monday, February 10, 2020 1:00 PM

McGraw House 221 South Geneva St. Ithaca, NY 14850