Margaret C. Smurr

Margaret Clapp ‘Peggy’ Smurr – Mater Familias - the youngest of eight and last surviving child of Mary Brennan Clapp and Charles Horace Clapp, died peacefully October 13, 2022. She was born August 15th, 1930 in Missoula, Montana where her father was President of the University of Montana. Following her father’s death when she was five, she was raised by her devoted and intellectual mother supported by her older siblings. This environment imbued her with depression era values of hard work, dedication, duty, careful spending, sacrifice, and in particular the importance of family. She attended the University of Montana and pledged to Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, but continued to live at home for the freedom it provided. She was the pianist in the university orchestra, worked at the switchboard, designed and made costumes for theater productions, and met a returning WWII GI named Bill Smurr. Peggy graduated with a degree in Philosophy and that same year she and Bill married. Bill completed a PhD in History at Indiana University with Peggy typing the dissertation multiple times with multiple carbon copies; they then returned to Missoula where their sons Hylen, Daniel and Matthew were born. The family moved to Moorhead MN where Bill was chairman of the History Department, and daughter Katherine was born across the river in North Dakota. An opportunity for Bill to join the History Department at Stanislaus State brought the family to Turlock California in 1967 where they lived for the remainder of their lives. Peggy began teaching first as a substitute teacher, then at various grade levels at Caswell Elementary in Ceres and finally as a reading specialist for many years. Peggy was an early and well-informed environmentalist, avid reader with catholic taste, keen bird watcher and stargazer, life-long swimmer and reluctant yet talented pianist. She loved the mountains and looked forward to the days when both mountain ranges were visible from the valley. She was a proud member of Alpha Delta Kappa sorority and was active in her book club group. Peggy was known for her sense of humor, thoughtful counsel, curiosity, kindness and unflagging support of others. She had a graceful and eloquent touch with language when writing to friends and family, and lived a life free of complaint, with love, patience and courage as her guides. She was preceded in death by her parents, seven siblings and her husband of sixty years. She is survived by her four children; Hylen, Daniel, Matthew (former spouse Christine) and Katherine (Rodric); her four grandchildren Cary, Lauren, Victoria and Caroline; and many nieces, nephews and cousins. A memorial service will be held at Turlock Funeral Home, 425 N. Soderquist Rd, in Turlock, California at 3:00 pm on Friday Oct. 28. In lieu of flowers please donate to Jessica's House. Contributions may be mailed to Jessica’s House P.O. Box 1712 Turlock, CA 95381

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Margaret C. Smurr

August 15, 1930 - October 13, 2022