Margaret Spear

Margaret “Peggy” Spear, was called home to her Lord following a long decline, and was finally reunited with her loving husband, Jim, in the early hours of Saturday, March 29, 2020.
She was born June 3, 1928, in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Peggy grew up in Hamilton and attended local schools. She graduated from high school before continuing her education at a nursing school.
Jim Spear met Peggy Nelson through family friends in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Their love joined two nations when they were united in marriage on June 20, 1953 in Peggy’s hometown of Hamilton. They began their new life together in Chicago, IL where Jim found a job with one of the prominent golf course architects of the time.

Several years later, the family moved to St. Charles, IL where he established his own, soon to be prestigious, firm and welcomed a daughter, Mari in 1962. The home would be filled with laughter, love and wonderful memories until Jim’s passing in 2010. Peggy continued to live in St. Charles, but eventually when her health began to decline, she accepted the often given invitation to live with her daughter and son-in-law, also in St. Charles.

Peggy was a proud member of the Eastern Star and was active in her church.
Peggy gave her heart and soul to every person she cared for a as nurse. It would be over ten years before she put away her uniform for the last time, but being idle was never one of Peggy’s strong suits. She opened her own antique store, Warehouse Antiques, which would become the oldest original location business in St. Charles.
Peggy was an advocate for local volunteerism and spent years donating her time at Davis School Library and the St. Charles Chamber of Commerce, the latter being so significant, Peggy was made a member of their Ambassadors Club. She loved to walk every day, her dog leading the way from her front door to the cemetery to visit Jim and back again. Peggy enjoyed her trips to Florida every winter, many spent with her sister who flew down from Canada. Every day she and her sister did something different, filling every season with as much adventure as possible, but also with a good amount of just sitting and relaxing, and watching the boats pass by. In recent years, she went on a European cruise, visiting places she only had dreamed about, making sure to stop at her ancestral home, Aughnacloy, County Tyrone, in Ireland. Antiquing of course was a passion, one in which she indulged early and often as the years passed. At home, instead of watching television, she read any book she could get her hands on, and tested her mind each day when she finished the crossword puzzle. In recent years, Fridays meant her favorite weekly visit from her friend, Jackie Mendel. Peggy cherished all her friendships with those from many walks of life, but the world stopped when Alec began cooking in the kitchen. Peggy said there was no one better, hands down. She had dogs all her life and if she went somewhere, anywhere really, so did they. They each became one of the family and there was nothing more important to her than family.
Peggy is survived by her loving daughter Mari and her son-in-law, Alec Wittum.
She is preceded by her parents; two sisters: Helen Rempel and Betty Rupprecht, and loving husband Jim.
A celebration of her life will be held at later date and time where all her family and friends can gather, honoring Peggy’s life and spirit.
In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established in Peggy’s name to benefit The International Sculpture Park, located at Mount Saint Mary Park in St. Charles, which was designed by her husband Jim Spear. Checks may be made to the “Margaret Spear Memorial” and mailed in care of P.O. Box 66, Elburn, 60119. Tributes may also be forwarded to the same address, the Conley Funeral Home Facebook Page, or by using the “contact me” option at www.conleycare.com.