Peggy Ward Macmillan

“Life is short, and we do not have much time to gladden the hearts of those who travel the way with us.  So be swift to love, and make haste to be kind”

Peggy Ward MacMillan, 87, of Sedona, AZ, beloved mother, grandmother, great- grandmother, sister, and friend, passed away peacefully on November 10, 2021 at her home after a long battle with cancer.  Peggy was grateful to have been able to spend time with her family during her final weeks, days and hours, and to visit and speak with friends from both near and far before her passing,

Peggy was born on May 8, 1934 in Fargo, North Dakota to Irene (Pomeroy) and Paul Ward. She spent the early years of her life living in St. Paul, MN before the family moved to Wauwatosa, WI. As would become a recurring theme in Peg’s life, many of the friendships she made in Wauwatosa during her school years would prove to be life-long relationships.  One of the most important relationships created was with her future husband, Robert MacMillan.  Though Peg and Bob knew each other since elementary school, it wasn’t until Peg was pursuing her nursing degree at the University of Wisconsin that they fell in love, eventually getting married on December 28,1957 in Wauwatosa.

After graduating from Wisconsin, and thus becoming a life-long Badger and Green Bay Packer football fan, Peg went to work in her chosen profession of nursing, and a couple of years after embarked upon her real passion which was being a mother and raising a family.  Her first son, Robert, was born in 1959 and followed by twin brothers, David and Donald, born in 1960.  A busy life filled with being a wife, mother, and nurse also included numerous moves with stops in Illinois, Minnesota, Colorado (twice), Missouri, and Massachusetts. It was in Massachusetts that Peg began a second career as a teacher of practical nursing at a local vocational school. Along the way, Peg would continue to make life-long friends as people were naturally attracted to her genuine kindness, concern, and empathy as well as her willingness to try new things and to enjoy life.

Peg and her husband moved to Sedona in 1986, attracted by the warm weather and the beauty of the area.  Among her many associations in Sedona, being a member of St. Andrew’s church was one of the most important.  Peg was involved in many ministries at St. Andrew’s including Centering Prayer, Gospel Co-op, Community of Hope, and she served as a Eucharistic Visitor and Vestry member. But the ministry that she is best remembered for is her warm and welcoming presence as a Greeter on Sunday mornings. Numerous people have commented how she was genuinely kind and hospitable to everyone, especially visitors.

Peg was also a frequent traveler, taking trips to many different countries over the years with friends and family.  As enjoyable as these trips were, Peg was as pleased if not more to have her friends from high school, college- especially her Theta sorority sisters- and various landing spots visit her in Sedona, and to visit her sons and their families on the East coast. As she frequently said, having a family and friends were the most important parts of her life. 

Peggy is preceded in death by her husband, Robert MacMillan.  She is survived by her sons and their spouses, Robert and Liz (Murphy) MacMillan of North Kingstown, RI, Dave and Daphne (Stewart) MacMillan of Malvern PA, and Don and Gigi (Gauld) MacMillan of Bath, ME; her ten grandchildren- Emily, Jackson, Conor, Kayla, Hannah, Wilson, Heather, Scott, Whitney, and Eric; and four great grandchildren; and her sister, Pat Schmid of Colorado.

A memorial service will be held on January 8th at 10:00 at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 100 Arroyo Pinon Drive, Sedona, AZ. 

In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to be made to St. Andrew’s Church https://saint-andrews.org/giving/

.