Margaret "Peggy" Ann Elder

Peggy (Margaret) Elder passed away peacefully on December 23, 2025, in Mesa, Arizona. Skip (Bly) her husband of nearly 74 years was by her side. The time of her passing was fitting as she truly enjoyed the Christmas season. During those days and weeks before Christmas, she was always busy assembling boxes of baked goods to send out to relatives and friends. Peggy was known for decorating and baking - especially her gingerbread men (her grandchildren and great grandchildren eagerly looked for the annual delivery of those “men”). And we must not forget her chocolate chip cookies! She also enjoyed cake decorating, painting, and flower arranging. Of course, no gift could not be left as is - we came to expect her to rearrange the flowers and to add her own personal touch to the painted objects. There is more than one story (which she willingly told) of her improving works of art, prints and figurines at places where they were staying. She also tackled fused glass jewelry making and did quite well at it. She would gladly and proudly show her finished pieces, however, not always so eager to part with them.

She was born in New Jersey on November 16,1932 to John and Ann Mayo and grew up in New London, Connecticut. Her Italian heritage was an important part of her life as her mother had immigrated from Naples Italy to the US. Skip was in the Coast Guard when they married, which meant she also became part of and gladly committed to the Coast Guard “transient” life. They lived in Alaska twice - the 1st time in Sitka, being there when Alaska became a state in 1959. They crisscrossed the entire United States multiple times and ending up in Des Moines WA. Somehow this transient lifestyle became part of her DNA as she always seemed to want to pull up roots and go find another adventure.

Peggy & Skip traveled a lot. For a number of years, their post-retirement home was an Airstream trailer. They accumulated over 100,000 miles ranging as far away as Mexico. Trips through Europe, Australia, and New Zealand followed - along with a couple trips down the Mississippi River. Later in life there were road trips with her daughter Diane - she came to require that they include side trips to casinos, (when her small wagers became winners, all with in ear shot became very aware that she had another few dollars in her pocket).

Besides her husband, she is survived by her daughter Diane (husband Ed), grandsons Jason and Jake and their families. Her son Rick (wife Diane, “daughter” #2 ), niece Billee (“daughter” “#2”) and her family, the Zelm clan and the New Jersey Italian's. A note about the “rating”- seems like mom liked to assign numbers to both her daughter-in- law and niece plus some of Rick’s friends. This was not on a sliding scale but her way of letting those know their importance to her life.

Peggy (Skip’s life partner and mom to us) left a legacy of stories and curiosity of others. Some of her stories - OK, many of them - we could all recite. But there were others of times and places we had never heard of or visited, providing us with insight into her very wide span of a life journey and curiosity of things - especially other folks’ lives. The latter may be once again, part of her wanting to experience more of life although this time through other eyes.

You are missed and loved.

At the request of the family - please. no flowers, plants or gift baskets.