Margaret "Peggy" Bushwaller

Phoenix, AZ. Margaret “Peggy” Joynt Bushwaller, age 97 born in Le Mars, IA and formerly of Jensen Beach, FL, Naples, FL, Kensington, MD and numerous foreign locations, passed away on September 14, 2019. She was the third of four children born to Robert and Mary “Mayme” Joynt. She graduated from Le Mars High School in 1940 where she played the trumpet in the marching band and enjoyed participating in school plays. She went on to attend Westmar College then moved to Chicago, IL where she worked for the FBI. During this time, Peggy visited her sister in Washington, D.C. and met, dated and married William “Bill” Bushwaller in 1943.

Upon marrying, Peggy and Bill moved to several posts for Bill’s position with the U.S. Army. The couple then lived in many locations around the world associated with Bill’s position in the U.S. Foreign Service. These locations included Nairobi, Kenya, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Melbourne, Australia and Mexico City, Mexico.

In the early 1960’s, they returned to the United States and settled in Kensington, Maryland. In the 1970’s Peggy worked at Wang Laboratories. She was also a lifelong volunteer and advocate for the less fortunate. Some of those volunteer organizations she was associated with were the Literacy Council of Montgomery County, Bread of Life Soup Kitchen at St. Martin de Porres in Jensen Beach, local nursing homes, Childfund International, Kiwanis Clubs of Stuart, FL and Ahwatukee, AZ, The Nature Conservancy of Naples, American Heart Association and others. Peggy was a parishioner of Corpus Christa Church in Phoenix. She was deeply faithful and proud of her Roman Catholicism, her Irish heritage and her ties to the Democratic party.

Peggy is survived by her five children/their spouses, Mary Margaret Menard (Steve Menard predeceased), Quynn Bushwaller Taylor, William J. Bushwaller IV (Margaret “Molly” Bushwaller), George Rodock Bushwaller (Joanna Stull Bushwaller) and Margaret Bushwaller Powers (Philip D. Powers Sr.). Additionally, Peggy had five grandsons; Mathias, John (predeceased) and Christopher Perez (Deborah Perez), Gabriel Colaluca and George W. L. Bushwaller, one granddaughter; Julia Quynn Powers, four step grandchildren; Kourtney Welch, Philip D. Powers Jr., Debra Menard (predeceased) and Scott Menard. Peggy also had five beloved great grandsons, Vincent, Joseph, Dominic, James and John Perez. Peggy is predeceased by her dearly loved siblings; Maryellen Thoman, Patty Olson, and Robert Joynt. Peggy is survived by her dear sister-in-law Margaret Joynt. Peggy was an exceptionally kind, generous and humble person who touched many lives with love. She had many friends and was especially close with her community of caregivers and residents at the Mountain Park Senior Living facility in Phoenix where she lived for the last five years.

Services will be held at Corpus Christi church, Phoenix, AZ on September 23, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. with burial at a later date at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Frederick, MD next to Bill, her husband of 68 years. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the St. Mary's Food Bank Alliance of Phoenix, AZ. 2831 N 31st Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85009, (602) 242-3663, https://www.firstfoodbank.org/.