Margaret Maher

Margaret Ann Maher, “Peggy,” passed away peacefully on February 14, 2023, surrounded by her loving family. She was born on January 22, 1937, in Brooklyn, New York to the late Helen (McMahon) and James Meehan. She spent her childhood in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn and graduated from Fontbonne Hall Academy with her lifelong friend, Kathy. She and Kathy then attended Notre Dame College in Staten Island, but Peggy transferred to and graduated from Berkeley College, NY campus. She was then employed by Western Electric. During her younger years she was an excellent skier and enjoyed many ski trips with her friends to Vermont.

On November 27, 1965, Peggy married Joseph C. Maher from Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. They then moved from their apartment in Brooklyn to their first home in Fayson Lakes, Kinnelon and then to their present home also in Fayson Lakes. Peggy loved Fayson Lakes. It was her home for over 50 years where she made lifelong friends and raised her family. She loved taking walks around the neighborhood and enjoying the beautiful view of the mountains from her backyard. She also loved attending sporting events for her children.

After raising her children, Peggy returned to the workforce as the secretary for The Smoke Rise Club, and then for AT&T and Avaya. She was also very active and became an instructor for Healthy Bones at the Kinnelon Public Library, where she met some of her closest friends. She loved to be in touch with family and friends on a regular basis through email and Facebook, and she was extremely proud of her annual Christmas card which she dedicated a great deal of time to creating which included special pictures of her family. Peggy treated every new grandchild as the first and looked forward to the opportunity to babysit and bond. The only reason you ever received a "no" was if another sibling had already "booked" her. Peggy was always looking forward to the summertime; this meant more time with her grandchildren, swimming at the lake, the annual fishing derby, Jersey Shore trips, Toys R Us visits and various adventures. She also loved attending all of her grandchildren’s sporting events, and there were many. It also did not matter what day Halloween fell on; all the cousins knew they would see one another at Grandma's annual Halloween party. The planning started weeks in advance. Throughout her life, she was the event planner. For her friends and the New York City trips, lunches, dinners, shows and family gatherings; these were her favorites. Birthdays were very important to her. She never forgot someone’s birthday, and she always searched for the perfect gift for that person.

Peggy is survived by her beloved husband, Joseph C. Maher, loving children, Mary Germinario and her husband Anthony, Kieran Maher and his wife Sue, Brian Maher and his wife Brenda, Colleen Marcantonio and her husband Frank and Sean Maher and his wife Noel. Thirteen adored grandchildren, Anthony Jr., Aleah, Dillon, Kyle, Connor, Marybeth, Jeanette, Gavin, Breanna, Marissa, Savanna, Brendan, Megyn and sister-in-law Barbara Mackey. Peggy was predeceased by her sister, Sister Mary Meehan and her brother, Father Jim Meehan.

Visitation will be held on Saturday, February 25, 2023, from 9:00am-10:00am at Our Lady of the Magnificat Church, 2 Miller Road, Kinnelon, NJ. A mass will be offered at 10:00am also on Saturday at the Church. Burial will immediately follow at Our Lady of the Magnificat Cemetery.

A live cast of the funeral service can be seen here   https://www.olmchurch.org/video-on-demand