Peggy Jane Troxell Sweigard

Peggy Jane (Troxell) Sweigard, 92, of Columbia, MD passed peacefully surrounded by family on June 5th 2026. Daughter of Foster and Georgia Troxell, Peggy was raised in the Appalachian Mountains village of Glasgow, PA, with her sister, Patricia Althouse, 94. An excellent student in school, she was a proud member of the Penn State Class of 1955. A true pioneer, she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics as one of a trailblazing minority of women majoring in Mathematics in the 50s. She remained an avid and devoted Nittany Lions fan for the remainder of her long life. As a mother of four young children, Peggy took on a significant life change when she found herself raising them alone in rural Pennsylvania in the mid-1960s. At that time and place, few businesses were willing to hire a “former housewife with four young children” so, thanks to her uncle, Francis Cunningham, Peggy obtained a federal government position as a Computer Programmer/Systems Analyst with U.S. Navy Intelligence. She moved her family to Alexandria, VA to embark on her career and, with the unselfish love and generous aid of the entire Cunningham family, kept her children together, healthy, happy and blissfully unaware of the strains she faced providing for them. They never felt unloved, neglected, nor subordinate to any other priority in Peggy’s life—because there was no other priority. Notwithstanding the priority of her children, she became highly regarded for her work ethic and quick ability to grasp new concepts and technologies in computer programming. While at Navy Intelligence, she wrote computer programs that gave the U.S. Navy ocean surveillance and reconnaissance superiority over the Soviet Union’s navy which helped speed the end to the Cold War. As her children became older, she moved to Columbia, MD working for the Social Security Administration and Internal Revenue Service leading programming teams preparing for potential “Y2K” issues with the date rollover for the new century. She retired in 1999 and enjoyed her beloved Scottish terriers which took second place only to her four grandchildren. Consistent with her passion for the oppressed and abused, she also volunteered as a Rape Crisis Counselor at the Howard County Rape Crisis Center and helped many traumatized women and some men through the unfathomable challenges of those attacks. Each year, for over 40 years, one of her favorite activities was attending the Howard County Sheep and Wool Festival where she would be among the first in line for festival shirts and where she would pick the best handspun yarns for the cherished gifts she would expertly and lovingly knit for her family and friends the rest of the year. She enjoyed going on ocean cruises and attending Christian women events at Sandy Cove, MD with her sister. Peggy attended Sunday services at United Methodist Church of Savage, MD and joined other members of the church in making hundreds of delicious chocolate eggs each Easter. Most important, though, she enjoyed joining in the fellowship of her church family and worshiping the Lord with them. As her grandchildren formed families of their own, they blessed Peggy with three great grandchildren whom she enjoyed as much as they enjoyed her. No matter what else she was experiencing, her family was always the greatest joy of her life.

Peggy is predeceased by her parents, all her aunts and uncles, her daughter Rebecca Sweigard, and her grandsons, Camillo Anthony Trulli and Eliott Joseph Lodge. She is survived by her sister, Pat Althouse, her children, Eric (and his wife, Betsy), Cindy (and her husband, David Kramer) and Karen Sweigard, her granddaughter, Bailey Jane (and her husband, David Knopp), her grandson, Taner Lodge (and his wife, Rachel), her great grandchildren, Luca Trulli, and Emily Jane Knopp and Asher Knopp. Of note, the middle name “Jane” now belongs to what Peggy enjoyed calling “four Jane-erations.” Irrespective of the names, each generation of Peggy’s family is indebted to her for her relentless, selfless, and determined commitment to keeping her family together. Peggy’s children are eternally grateful to the many friends, family, and professional caretakers who saw her through her final days in this life. Their calls, offers of help, and prayers helped pave her path home with love that kept fear and suffering far away from her. She has finished the race and fought the good fight and is now in the arms of her Lord and Savior. Nothing could be more comforting to those she leaves behind.

Peggy’s family will be holding a small private family gathering to share their joy in having had her in their lives all these years. In lieu of flowers or donations, the family suggests, in keeping with Peggy’s absolute devotion to holding her family together, setting aside a day to be with your family to share similarly in the joys they bring you in your life.