Margaret E. "Peggy" (Ermentrout) Horrigan, 83, of Wyomissing, passed away, February 2, 2011 in Reading Hospital and Medical Center.
She was the beloved wife of John F. Horrigan, Jr. They were married for 55 years.
Peggy was born on September 7, 1927 in Reading, the third of six children and the second-eldest daughter of the late George D. and Loretta (Henke) Ermentrout.
She graduated from Central Catholic High School in 1945 and, shortly thereafter, from McCann's Business School. Although this was the extent of Peggy's formal schooling, all of her life she valued education and craved knowledge. Over the years she took numerous adult education courses at Albright College and was an avid reader with a particular interest in history and the Holocaust.
She worked as a secretary for WRAW until 1957 when her first child was born. It was then she turned to her full-time, life-long vocation as wife and mother.
Peggy Horrigan was a woman of deeply ecumenical faith. She was a member of Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church, and as her children were growing up she volunteered at Sacred Heart Grade school as well as the library at Holy Name High School, Reading. For Peggy, however, "the church" meant people, and not just the people of her immediate family, school district, or parish. Out of an unshakable conviction that human life must be treasured, including the lives of the unborn, she worked as a volunteer counselor for Lifeline of Berks County, West Reading. And in 2001, she and her husband, Jack, co-chaired a successful campaign to fund the construction of The John Paul II Center, a private school dedicated to the education of "special needs" children and adults in Berks County. Her leadership and service to the community were recognized in 2002 when, along with her husband, she received the Franciscan Award from Alvernia University, Reading.
But no accounting of her work or list of her accomplishments can do justice to Peggy's life and character. Selfless and often self-effacing, she gave wholeheartedly of herself to others. Even towards the end of her life when her mobility was compromised, she would routinely ask any visitor to her home, "What can I get for you?" She loved giving gifts and would literally give you the shirt off her back if you asked for it, though she often found it hard to receive gifts herself. She was smart, fun, and funny. She could tell a good joke, and she maintained her sly, irreverent, down-to-earth sense of humor to the very end.
She made friends everywhere she went. When people turned to her for advice, as they frequently did, she would listen with an open mind and a generous heart and then find a way to say what was kind, necessary, and true. Her tolerance for pain was always low, and so she couldn't bear to see anyone else in pain.
She adored every child she ever met.
In addition to her husband, she is survived by two sons: John F. III, husband of Colleen Horrigan, River Forest, IL and Patrick, partner of Eduardo Leanez, New York City; four daughters: Mary Jo, wife of John Dever, Jr., Reading, Suzanne, wife of Jeff Johnson, Bedford, MA, Elizabeth, wife of James Rathz, Wexford, PA, and Karen Horrigan, Washington, DC; eleven grandchildren: John Dever, III, husband of Hayley, Robert Johnson, Lauren Johnson, Ben Johnson, Erin Rathz, Colleen Rathz, Matthew Rathz, John Horrigan IV, husband of Michelle, Joseph Horrigan, Meg Horrigan, Mary Horrigan; one great granddaughter, Olivia Dever; two brothers, Frederick C. Ermentrout, Kansas City, MO and Jack Ermentrout, Arlington, VA; two sisters, Rita, wife of Thomas Franco and Sue, wife of Jack Chelius, all of Reading.
Peggy was predeceased by her brother George Ermentrout.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Thursday, February 10, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. in Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church, West Reading. Entombment will be in Gethsemane Mausoleum. Friends may call Wednesday, February 9, 2011 from 4:00pm to 8:00pm in Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home, Inc., 739 Penn Avenue, West Reading, PA 19611.
Contributions may be made to John Paul II Center for Special Learning, 1092 Welsh Road, Shillington, PA 19607. Online condolences may be recorded at www.kuhnfuneralhome.com.
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