Margaret Peggy Willard (Leahy)

Margaret L. (Leahy) Willard (“Peggy”), 74, of Old Wethersfield, the beloved wife of Howard A. Willard, Jr. (“Buz”) for 52 years, passed away on Saturday, May 12, 2012 at Hartford Hospital after a brief illness.

Born on February 25, 1938 to the late Catherine Sullivan and William F. Leahy, Peggy was a loving and dedicated wife, mother, grandmother and friend. Peggy is survived by her husband and her three children, Heather Willard and her fiancé William Skarupa of Wethersfield, CT, Howard A. Willard, III and his wife Laura, of Richmond, VA, and Virginia Willard Falkner and her husband Gregory of Chicago, IL; her much loved grandchildren, Howard A Willard, IV (Grant), Rachel Bugella, Charles Willard, Katerina Falkner, and Daniel Falkner. Also surviving are her brother Robert F. Leahy and his wife Joan of Plainville, CT, her sister Kathryn Whitty of Jupiter, FL, brother-in-law Ed McVeigh of Fort Plains, NY and many nieces and nephews. Besides her parents, Peggy was predeceased by her sister Elizabeth Veilleux, brother-in-law Leo J. Veilleux, and sister Tricia McVeigh. She grew up in West Hartford, CT and graduated in the class of 1956 of William H. Hall High School where she was chosen one of 12 Seniors for “Outstanding Leadership, Citizenship, and Personality”. She attended the University of Connecticut where she met her husband, Buz and together they ran a successful business restoring historic structures, Willard Restorations, Inc., for 35 years. She loved the water and boating. She and her family vacationed on their boat “Free Enterprise” to Nantucket, Block Island, Long Island, and the Hudson River. She also enjoyed lobstering and fishing from their Grady White “Little Boat”. Her love of family brought the children and grandchildren together each winter in New Smyrna Beach, FL and each summer on Lake Michigan. She was always an active member of the community and loved the First Church of Christ in Wethersfield where she helped with the children’s choir. She spent many evenings reading books with her grandchildren and never ceased to discover new and exciting crafts to help them express their creativity.

Funeral Service will be Tuesday at 10:00 AM at the First Church of Christ, 250 Main Street, Wethersfield with the Reverend Deryk Richenburg officiating. The burial will follow in Cedar Hill Cemetery, Hartford. Calling hours are Monday from 4-7 PM at the James T. Pratt Funeral Service, 277 Folly Brook Blvd. Wethersfield. Donations in Peggy’s memory may be made to the First Church of Christ, 250 Main Street, Wethersfield (http://www.firstchurch.org/) or to the Wethersfield Historical Society, 150 Main St. Wethersfield (http://www.wethhist.org/). For on line expressions of sympathy please visit www.desopo.com.