Margaret M. (Peggy) Blanco passed away on Nov. 3, 2022.
She is survived by her husband, Gabriel Blanco, the love of her life to whom she was married for 54 years. She is also survived by her children and their spouses: Christina Blanco and Steven Rickards and Theresa Blanco and Glenn Pritchard. She had five grandchildren along with their partners: Clara Ottey and Riley Zapfel; Luke Ottey; Matthew Rickards and Kaitlyn Blankenhorn; Caroline Pritchard and Kenneth Chaney II; Jonathan Pritchard and Lauren Ford. Lucy, a sweet rescue dog who needed some love and a warm place to sleep, misses her too.
Peggy was an English teacher for 40 years and a high school principal for 10. After retiring from full-time teaching, she volunteered with VITA Education Services, teaching classes in ESL and GED prep. She also served on VITA’s board of directors as vice president. She was the arbiter of all things grammatical for those in her universe (and also the people who run the NBC-10 app, but they apparently have learned nothing). She managed to bring all those who doubted its necessity around to the regular use of the Oxford comma. Trust us, don’t fight it. She loved her students, and she had thousands of them. Her knowledge of Shakespeare was unrivaled. She loved good poetry.
She traveled the world with her family to places as close as Canada and as far away as Mexico, Central and South America, and Cuba (note the use of the aforementioned comma). She was as comfortable climbing the Pyramid of the Sun in Mexico as she was walking down a city street. She was a Girl Scout leader for her daughters and her granddaughters and took countless girls camping (often in the rain) and proudly served accidentally sugar-free brownies (if you were on that trip, you know). She came to every concert, play, football game, ballet recital, ice hockey game, art show, basketball game, swim meet, book fair, awards assembly, and after-school event. She never knew how many kids would be at her house when she got home from work, but she fed all of them. She holds the local record for providing baked goods for any event that served food (and some that did not until she arrived). She made and donated the cakes for the Midway Volunteer Fire Company annual carnival for many years.
Peggy was a farmer at heart and loved to garden. She grew flowers and vegetables and canned everything from pickles to ketchup to jams. She baked bread often and made the best chocolate desserts. She loved to knit and crochet and back in the day, she made her own clothes. She loved a good cup of tea and a tall cinnamon dulce latte; sitting in her garden watching the birds; and keeping sightings of wayward migrating birds gleefully to herself. She loved going to Hawk Mountain to watch “birds with feet” (otherwise known as raptors).
Peggy’s death was caused by interstitial lung disease as a result of rheumatoid arthritis. She did not want this to happen to others. If you have RA, get a chest X-ray and a high-definition CT scan.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Peggy’s name to VITA at Vita Education Services, 8 E. Court St., Doylestown, PA 18901; or via their website at www.vitaeducation.org , then scroll to bottom of page and click the Donate Now! button. Donations can be made either through credit card or PayPal on that page.
A memorial gathering will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 19 at Reed and Steinbach Funeral Home, 2335 Lower State Road, Doylestown, Pa.
IMPORTANT: Gabe is highly immunocompromised but would like to see everyone to celebrate Peggy’s life. Therefore, facemasks are required at all times (either KN95 or N95) and will be provided at the door. If you cannot or will not wear a mask, please do not attend. If you have any signs or symptoms of illness, please do not attend.
Reed and Steinbach Funeral Home, Doylestown
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