Ethel M. "Peggy" Bluhm

Peggy was born on November 3, 1911, on a horse ranch near Westby, Montana, a small town near the North Dakota and Canadian borders. Peggy was the oldest of 13 children.

After graduating from Marquette University, Peggy lived in several cities, including Milwaukee, Buffalo, Miami and Chicago. She modeled, designed and made clothing, including some under her label “Peggy Designs.” Peggy was also athletic. She enjoyed golf and was an outstanding bowler, carrying a 175 average into her 70s and bowling one perfect game.

Peggy met her husband, Maurice Bluhm, in Chicago. The couple moved to Kansas City in the early 1940s after completing his military service. They lived in the Brookside area before moving to Lake Lotawana, where she raised their family and lived the remainder of her life. She worked beside her husband managing the Brookside Hotel, the Berkshire Hotel and office buildings in other cities. Together they developed and operated the Hilton Plaza Inn and Hilton Airport Plaza Inn.

Peggy “retired” in her 40s to raise their family, still finding time to volunteer for several organizations. A few of her activities included serving as a Cub Scout den leader, a Brownie leader, and the Mason Elementary School PTA President.

After completing her working career and sending her two children away to college, Peggy’s pace did not slow. She focused her energy on dancing, golf, travel and the Royal Lancers. Peggy always enjoyed dancing. A former instructor at the Arthur Murray Dance Studio, Peggy was one of the original Dancing Dollies, four women who performed tap dancing routines throughout the Kansas City area at benefits, telethons and nursing homes for more than two decades. Her fashion skills were put to good use in designing and sewing the dancers’ costumes. A line dancing period followed her tap dancing, drawing her to clinics throughout the Midwest to learn dances she performed at least two nights weekly.

Peggy Bluhm epitomized living life with gusto. She had no rear view mirror – only focusing on the next exciting event. Peggy would find any excuse to travel – by air, by land, or her favorite, by sea. In fact, she took four trips the year of her 100th birthday.

Peggy was preceded in death by her husband, Maurice. She is survived by her two children and their families: her son, Mark Bluhm, his wife Laura, and their children, Natalie and Scott, all of Kansas City; and her daughter, Barbara Rodriguez, her husband Omar, and their son Adam and his wife, Abby, of San Francisco, their son Kyle, of Kansas City, and their son Paul, of Chicago; and by seven brothers and sisters.

Peggy was a member of the Missouri Yacht Club at Lake Lotawana and a founding member of Meadowbrook Country Club.

A Memorial Mass will be held at St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic Church in Blue Springs, Missouri, at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 16, followed by a celebratory gathering at the Missouri Yacht Club at Lake Lotawana.

Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to City Union Mission or The Salvation Army.