- Date Of Birth: April 4, 1935
- Date Of Death: August 7, 2021
- State: Connecticut
On August 7, 2021 we said a heartbroken but loving goodbye to Margaret (Peggy) Graeser Schaffer (formerly Peggy Zowada). Peggy was a gracious woman, and her kindness and radiant personality drew others to her. Her friends adored her. Her daughters cherished her. She was generous and that generosity touched not only the lives of those she knew but also the lives of strangers. Whether it was donating to charities or paying the vet bill for a struggling family, her concern was often for others before herself. At the same time, Peggy was straightforward and honest. There was nothing false or pretentious about her. That meant she readily shared her opinion but never unkindly. Because she was sensitive and intuitive, she was both truthful but considerate. She was delightfully pragmatic and disarmingly funny. Peggy loved to laugh, and her sense of humor reflected her wit and wisdom. She was a great sport, and being in her company was always a joy. Intelligent and well read, Peggy championed equality for women and the fair and just treatment of all human beings. Her concern extended to all living things, and she advocated for the humane treatment of animals as well as being a loving caretaker of her own dogs and cats.
Peggy was born in Manchester on April 4, 1935, to her parents Margaret and Edward Graeser. They later moved to Rockville. Peggy settled in Ellington with her husband at the time, Raymond Zowada, where they raised their two daughters, Lisa and Leslie. After completing her training at New Britain Hospital’s School of Nursing, Peggy worked as a RN both at Rockville General Hospital and as a private-duty nurse.
Even with all her success, Peggy remained the same person she had always been, one appreciative of the sacrifices made by her parents despite their humble circumstances.
In addition to her family and friends, Peggy loved traveling, especially to Cape Cod. She was a voracious reader and surrounded herself with books. Besides the dogs and cats lucky enough to be in her care, Peggy loved Clydesdale horses, and traveled with her daughter Lisa to New Hampshire and Mystic to see them. Peggy also proudly counted herself among the “Golden Girls,” a group of four friends who have known each other for decades.
Peggy is predeceased by her parents and by her daughter Leslie Zowada. She is survived by her daughter Lisa Zowada, who regarded her mother as her best friend, and her daughter-in-law Elaine Sauve. She also leaves behind the Golden Girls, Judy Trevison, Charlotte Turner, and Sandy Dahl, as well as her childhood friend Jane Voight. Her cousin George Jones and his wife Melissa will also miss her, as will Diane Sullivan and Nancy Steffens to whom Peggy was like a second mother. Lastly but not least, there is Mia, her Persian cat who now resides with her daughter.
The family would like to thank the staff, aides, and nurses of Brookdale Senior Living of South Windsor for their loving care of Peggy. The family also wishes to thank the nurses of Seasons Hospice.
