Deffenbaugh, Margaret
DEFFENBAUGH, Margaret "Peggy"
Margaret "Peggy" Josephine Deffenbaugh (née Weirup), passed away peacefully at home on July 28, 2023, at the age of 95. Her only child, Michael was by her side.
Peggy was born in Richmond, Virginia to Katherine Elizabeth Weirup (née Santangelo) and Karl Herman Weirup. When Peggy was 17, she caught the eye of WWII U.S. Army veteran William T. "Bill" Deffenbaugh, who after the war wasted no time asking her to meet him in California and get married. Family lore has it she never looked back, and the couple remained happily married for 64 years.
Peggy and Bill made their home in Los Angeles, eventually welcoming son, Michael to their family. Peggy was the consummate homemaker in addition to building a career at Sears, Roebuck and Company. Together, the family enjoyed spending their weekends boating and fishing. Upon retiring, Peggy and Bill sold their house and traveled around the United States in an RV, eventually settling down in Crystal River, Florida.
Peggy stood tall and mighty at 4'11" and wielded a tremendous hug for everyone she met. Her energy was boundless, her cheerfulness was infectious, and her homemade cookies were legendary. The shirts she ironed looked like they had come straight from the cleaners, and the fitted sheets she folded lay as flat and tidy as top sheets. Peggy was the embodiment of optimism. She found happiness in the world around her, and throughout her long life she met every challenge with a positive attitude. She will long be remembered for her adventurous spirit, which in her retirement years took her parasailing in Mazatlán and dodging the traffic in Rome.
In addition to her loving parents, Peggy was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Bill; sisters, Frances W. Tedder, Jean W. Prather, Helen W. Pierce, and Carol W. Daniels; and brothers, Conrad R. Weirup, Karl S. Weirup, and Charles M. Weirup. She is survived by her loving son, Michael Thomas Deffenbaugh; as well as her siblings, Patricia W. Swinson, Linda W. Fulcher (William), and Richard E. Weirup; and many nieces and nephews.
Burial at Georgia National Cemetery, Canton, GA. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Alzheimer's Association.
