Margaret Rose “Peggy” Conway joined hands with the Lord on Monday, August 31, 2026, surrounded by family members. Peggy as she was known all her life was born in Yonkers, NY on November 7, 1927, to John J. “Red” O’Hare and Margaret “Peg” Hart. Peggy was the eldest of six children, her brother Michael, and her sister Marilyn, followed soon after. Peggy was 5 years old when her beloved Mother passed away in 1933 and on August 24, 1935, her father married Alice Burney and three daughters joined soon afterwards and added to the family tree – Alice, Jacqueline, and Roberta.

As soon as Peggy graduated from high school, she was eager to leave Yonkers and start a new chapter of living and working in Manhattan. She and her sister, Marilyn, shared an apartment and enjoyed their life working, every so often having a Manhattan cocktail in Manhattan – perhaps that’s where she started her infamous “First Today,” and they enjoyed seeing Broadway shows and movies, too. Through her job at Equitable as an IBM Key Punch Operator, she met Eugenia Conway, her future sister-in-law, who happened to have a brother, Jack, serving in the United States Navy. While on leave visiting family, Jack met with Peggy and their love story began.

Jack and Peggy married on December 30, 1950, in Yonkers and through their union had four children together. In 1951, they moved to Miami, FL - better weather for his construction work and Peggy’s parents and three younger sisters lived there, too. Their union ended in 1969.

All her career in Florida Peggy worked as an IBM Key Punch Operator for major airlines (including Pan Am; National, and Eastern) which allowed her to fly to New York often and visit her family, especially her beloved aunts, uncles, and cousins in Yonkers and the Bronx. She especially looked forward to her cousin Elaine and Jack Zachar’s Saint Paddy’s Day party every year and the party would officially begin when she would lead the singing with When Irish Eyes are Smiling.

In the early 1980’s Peggy sold her home in Miami and moved in with her dad to the Ft. Lauderdale area. Once she retired they both moved to Fed-Haven, a retirement facility in the Lake Wales area. After her dad passed away in 2002 Peggy lived with her daughter, Peggy, and her husband Steve in Conyers GA. Steve’s promotion included a move to Maryland. At that time, and with the encouragement of her sister, Jacqueline “Jay,” she then moved to Sarasota, FL.

Peggy enjoyed living at the Jefferson Center, a retirement community, where she was honored more than once for her enthusiastic volunteerism for building neighbors (luncheons, national holiday parties, Christmas and Easter, too) and other local Sarasota organizations including the Salvation Army.

Unfortunately, Peggy’s vision was failing and living alone was no longer an option, and then she moved in with her son, John, and his wife, Denise, to Ocala, FL. The following year Peggy moved back to her daughter’s (Peggy and Steve) home in Ooltewah, TN and received wonderful care which included her daughter Carol’s nursing skills. Kathleen lived 2 hours away in Smyrna, GA, and would visit her often.

In 2023 Mom moved back to John and Denise’s home in Ocala and in 2024 Mom moved into the Life Care Center of Ocala where she remained until her passing. Her days included visits with her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. She would happily assist the activities director on “Bingo Days” and would proudly let all know when she won.

Peggy’s life was full of challenges and triumphs, but her faith, her courage and her family support always sustained her through the most difficult and best of times. She was a mother her children were privileged to have and her love and her kindness we will hold deep in our hearts for the rest of our lives and pass on to the next generations. We will miss her every day and when we raise a glass (Mom preferred Champagne) we will say, “First Today in Mom’s memory.”

Peggy is survived by her children, John (Denise) Conway, Margaret “Peggy” (Steve) Sorrells, Kathleen (Mark) Kohntopp, and Carol (Doug) Williams. Also, grandchildren Luke (Nicole) Conway, Beth (Ray) Fowler, and Kimberly Rose Williams. Two grandsons preceded her death Jake Conway and Matthew J. Williams. Four great grandchildren complete the family tree, Jake John and Luke Paul Conway; Colton and RaeLynn Fowler.

During the years she lived in Sarasota, Peggy was a practicing Catholic and a member of the St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church in Siesta Key, Sarasota, Florida.

Per her wishes cremation will be managed by Baldwin Brothers and a Funeral Mass is scheduled on Friday, November 6, at the St Michael the Archangel Catholic Church, where her ashes will be placed to join her sister, Jay. A simple plaque “Peggy Conway” will be placed in her honor in the Memorial Garden.

If you would like to make a monetary contribution in her memory, please do so at your local Salvation Army as Peggy volunteered at the Salvation Army all the years that she lived in Sarasota.