Margaret "Peg" Bartlett Ulrich, age 93, of New Canaan, Connecticut, passed away peacefully on January 12, 2026.
Peg was born in Binghamton, New York in 1932, the daughter of Bruce and Mary (Everett) Bartlett. She always wanted to be a nurse but also wished to attend college, so she found a unique 5-year program offered jointly by Bates College in Maine and New England Baptist Hospital in Boston. She graduated from Bates College in 1955 with a B.A. degree. While at Bates, she met the love of her life, Arthur ("Art") Ulrich, whom she married the December after graduation. Together they shared 70 joyful years of marriage, celebrating their anniversary in 2025.
Peg began her nursing career in Johnson City, NY before joining Mercer Hospital in Trenton, New Jersey, while Art was stationed at Fort Dix. She later worked at the Fort Meade Army Hospital in Maryland after Art's transfer there. After a fifteen-year pause to raise her family, she returned to nursing at Glens Falls Hospital in New York and as a volunteer nurse at Planned Parenthood. After moving to New Canaan, Peg continued her career at Norwalk Hospital for three years and then at Waveny Care Center in New Canaan for seventeen years, before retiring at age 65. Even in retirement, she remained deeply involved in her community, volunteer work in the New Canaan Library and the Charitable New Canaan Thrift Shop.
Peg was a high energy person who cherished fitness. She jogged and skied for twenty years before switching to daily walks—long before "10,000 steps" became a trend. She was a regular at the Norwalk Fitness Center—and wasn't shy about how much she missed the gym during COVID closures.
Music was one of Peg's great passions. A talented pianist, she later found joy singing in three choirs and ringing handbells at both the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport and Music on the Hill in Weston. It gave her particular joy to share ringing and singing for many of those years with her daughter. She continued to ring handbells until the last week before her death.
An avid sports fan, Peg followed both the Yankees and Mets, eventually becoming particularly attached to the UConn women's basketball team. She often lamented the limited athletic opportunities available to girls in the 40's, a passion she channeled into cheering on her children and grandchildren in their many sports.
Peg is survived by her beloved husband, Art, and their four children: Kim Whelan (Franklin) of Brookline, MA; Curtis Ulrich (April) of Albany, NY; Peter Ulrich (Siobhan) of Simsbury, CT; and Marty Dayton (Dave) of Boise, ID. She is also survived by ten grandchildren—Mark, Benson, Derek, Annie, Vincent, Marshall, Nick, Scott, Natalie, and Carina—and six great-grandchildren: Eli, Jordan, Acaydia, Bodevyn, Walter and Poppy. She was predeceased by her brother Jack and granddaughter Clare.
A memorial service to celebrate Peg's remarkable life will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Planned Parenthood or the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Westport.
Peg was born in Binghamton, New York in 1932, the daughter of Bruce and Mary (Everett) Bartlett. She always wanted to be a nurse but also wished to attend college, so she found a unique 5-year program offered jointly by Bates College in Maine and New England Baptist Hospital in Boston. She graduated from Bates College in 1955 with a B.A. degree. While at Bates, she met the love of her life, Arthur ("Art") Ulrich, whom she married the December after graduation. Together they shared 70 joyful years of marriage, celebrating their anniversary in 2025.
Peg began her nursing career in Johnson City, NY before joining Mercer Hospital in Trenton, New Jersey, while Art was stationed at Fort Dix. She later worked at the Fort Meade Army Hospital in Maryland after Art's transfer there. After a fifteen-year pause to raise her family, she returned to nursing at Glens Falls Hospital in New York and as a volunteer nurse at Planned Parenthood. After moving to New Canaan, Peg continued her career at Norwalk Hospital for three years and then at Waveny Care Center in New Canaan for seventeen years, before retiring at age 65. Even in retirement, she remained deeply involved in her community, volunteer work in the New Canaan Library and the Charitable New Canaan Thrift Shop.
Peg was a high energy person who cherished fitness. She jogged and skied for twenty years before switching to daily walks—long before "10,000 steps" became a trend. She was a regular at the Norwalk Fitness Center—and wasn't shy about how much she missed the gym during COVID closures.
Music was one of Peg's great passions. A talented pianist, she later found joy singing in three choirs and ringing handbells at both the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Westport and Music on the Hill in Weston. It gave her particular joy to share ringing and singing for many of those years with her daughter. She continued to ring handbells until the last week before her death.
An avid sports fan, Peg followed both the Yankees and Mets, eventually becoming particularly attached to the UConn women's basketball team. She often lamented the limited athletic opportunities available to girls in the 40's, a passion she channeled into cheering on her children and grandchildren in their many sports.
Peg is survived by her beloved husband, Art, and their four children: Kim Whelan (Franklin) of Brookline, MA; Curtis Ulrich (April) of Albany, NY; Peter Ulrich (Siobhan) of Simsbury, CT; and Marty Dayton (Dave) of Boise, ID. She is also survived by ten grandchildren—Mark, Benson, Derek, Annie, Vincent, Marshall, Nick, Scott, Natalie, and Carina—and six great-grandchildren: Eli, Jordan, Acaydia, Bodevyn, Walter and Poppy. She was predeceased by her brother Jack and granddaughter Clare.
A memorial service to celebrate Peg's remarkable life will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Planned Parenthood or the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Westport.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Margaret "Peg" Bartlett Ulrich, please visit our flower store.
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