It is with great sadness that the family of Margaret "Peggy" Steinberg announces her passing on Sunday, November 4, 2018 at the age of 69. She is lovingly remembered and her spirit will be carried on by her husband of 43 years, Dr. Gerald Steinberg and by their children Molly Boyce and son-in-law Dr. David Boyce, Daniel Steinberg and daughter-in-law Dr. Emily Olson Steinberg and by grandson Luke Boyce, who will always remember his Mimi. She will also be dearly remembered by her brother Eric Carlson and sister-in-law Peggy Carlson. Margaret was predeceased by her sister Dr. Kate Carlson.
Peggy was born in Concord, New Hampshire and moved to Boston to train at the Forsyth School of Dental Hygiene. After working briefly she put herself through nursing school at the Massachusetts General Hospital, and then successfully completed her Bachelor’s degree in Nursing at Northeastern University. With additional training she subsequently became a very well respected Nurse Practitioner in Adult Medicine.
Peg was a staunch supporter of improving people’s health care and health status and especially so for women. She was one of the original supporters and advisers of the Boston Women’s Health Book Collective that published the landmark “Our Bodies Our Selves” in numerous editions. She was a sought after care provider in her practice and a ready source of kind and practical advice to any one in need.
Peg’s life was multidimensional and marked by creativity and reinvention. After retiring as a nurse practitioner she began working with clay and became an accomplished ceramic artist. She was very proud to be a member of the Harvard Ceramic Studio and to have the recognition as well as the friendship of her peers. The Studio was a place where she studied, practiced and learned. In addition to her affinity for clay, Peg was a lover of the outdoors. Her knowledge of trees, plants and flowers was extensive. She was a self-taught, amateur practitioner of Ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arranging and she often was called upon to “do the flowers” for shows, parties and an occasional bar mitzvah or wedding. Her cooking and baking were legendary. The process was an act of creativity for her and act of love for family and friends.
Peggy died after a 33 yearlong battle with breast and ovarian cancer. She lived an extraordinarily full life despite her illness. She never wanted to be defined as “a cancer patient” and until near the end, she never looked like one. Her determination to fight – to accept the pain and the profound levels of infirmity and indignity, while remaining a woman with charm, intelligence, beauty, deep kindness and loving relationships - has been an inspiration to all who knew her. She was a “life warrior”. Her struggle to live and to do that with optimism and a smile was the validation of life that resonates with everyone she leaves behind. We are stronger because of her and we thank her.
A memorial service will be held at Congregation Kehillath Israel, 384 Harvard Street Brookline on Friday, December 14, 2018 at 11:30am.
In lieu of flowers, for those that desire to do so, Peg suggested donations be directed in three areas.
One option would be for support of the Ceramics Program and Studio at Harvard. This would create a fund to support a Visiting Artist and Scholar Program for master classes, demonstrations by visiting artists and scholars, and ceramics symposia involving potters, sculptors, art historians and archaeologists from all over the world. To contribute to this please make checks payable to Ceramics, Office for the Arts at Harvard and mail to:
Ceramics Fund/Margaret Steinberg
Office for the Arts at Harvard
74 Mt. Auburn Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
The second option would be to support the development and application of targeted therapies for hereditary breast cancer at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/ Breast Care Center. Contributions to this may be made online:
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center at http://www.bidmc.org/give" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.bidmc.org/give" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.bidmc.org/give
Choose - “Select Gift Designation”
Choose - “Breast Care Center” from the dropdown menu
Check - “I am making this gift in honor/memory of a person important to me”
And write: “In Memory of Margaret Steinberg/Breast Care Center for targeted therapies”
Otherwise you can donate by check made payable to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center with “In Memory of Margaret Steinberg/Breast Care Center” on the memo line and mail to: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center,
Office of Development,
330 Brookline Ave, Boston, MA 02215
The third option would be to Cambridge Health Alliance Breast Center, to support that organization’s efforts to provide comprehensive, culturally competent care to patients who lack the means to get the care and the support they need. Donations may be made online:
Choose - donate now button
Choose – “Breast Center” as the designation
Choose – “Make a gift” and after that you will be able to write a personal note:
“In Memory of Margaret Steinberg”
Otherwise checks can be made payable to Cambridge Health Alliance Foundation with
“In memory of Margaret Steinberg” on the memo line and mail to:
The CHA Foundation,
230 Highland Avenue, 5th floor
Somerville, MA 02143
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