Peggy Morgan was born to Roscoe and Ellen Lefler on July 28, 1944, as the first of three daughters. Peggy grew up in Two Rivers, WI and graduated with scholastic honors from Washington High School in 1962. In that year she began attending the regional campus of the University of Wisconsin but later enrolled at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, IL. She graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education, with a minor in English, and accepted a teaching position in Highland Park, IL. After two years, Peggy enrolled in the master’s program at Purdue University, earning a Master of Science Degree in Education (later earning a gifted and talented endorsement and principal’s license).
Upon graduation from Purdue, Peggy accepted an elementary teaching position in Bothell, WA, only to return to the Midwest after one year when her parents were struck by a drunk driver, killing her mother. After getting family affairs in order, Peggy took a position at Canterbury Elementary, Crystal Lake, IL, leading the fifth-sixth grade social studies curriculum and, over an eight-year period, taught in all curriculum areas.
Having been introduced to Doug, her future husband, by a Purdue graduate school friend just before he moved to Denver, they had a two-year relationship that resulted in marriage, whereupon she moved to Denver. There, she accepted a seventh grade English teaching position at Kent Denver Country Day Middle School where she served with distinction and was affectionately known as “Major Morgan” for setting high standards and helping each student realize success in achieving them. The school’s Headmaster, in a letter of recommendation, stated “Peggy is the best Middle School teacher I have ever had the privilege to employ.”
With the retirement of his parents, Doug decided to change professions, returning to the family farm in 1985. Peggy assumed a teaching position at Kentland Elementary due to a maternity leave, and then accepted an English teaching position the following year with Tecumseh Middle School, where she also earned outstanding service awards, a Fulbright-Hays Summer Seminar Abroad opportunity in Mexico, where she studied history and culture while traveling through 13 states. She also won an Eli Lilly Fellowship to travel to Greece to study Greek mythology, which Peggy was teaching in her curriculum. She remained at Tecumseh for 28 years, retiring in 2015. However, Peggy served as a much-wanted substitute teacher at Tri-County School Corporation through the 2019-2020 school year.
On the evening of July 23, Peggy was struck and killed by a hit and run driver while riding her bicycle on a country road near her home. Peggy is survived by her husband, Doug, of 41 years, sisters Jean Hastings (Wausau, WI) and Nana Ollenburg (Greenfield, WI).
In lieu of flowers, Peggy’s favorite charities were St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, The Salvation Army, American Cancer Society, Therapy Dogs International, No Kill Shelters, Heifer International, or the religious institution of one’s choice.
Visitation is planned for Sunday, August 9 from 3:00-5:00 p.m. EDT (2:00-4:00 p.m., CDT) at Trinity United Methodist Church, Kentland, IN 47951 (219-474-6225) with a celebration of life service to follow at 5:15 p.m. This service will be livestreamed and viewable by those unable to attend, accessing the link on the church’s website www.ktumc.org or her memorial page on clapperfuneralservices.com and clicking on the link at the bottom of the obituary on the day of the services, or days following.
https://my.gather.app/remember/peggy-morgan
