Margaret Yeager

Margaret “Peggy” (Bowar) Yeager, resident of Murfreesboro, Tennessee, passed peacefully into eternal rest on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, after a courageous year-long battle with cancer.

Born on February 21, 1953, to Agatha and Lucian Bowar, Peggy spent her early years in Cross Plains, Wisconsin, before her family settled in Owatonna, Minnesota. From a young age, Peggy’s life was marked by a deep and enduring faith. She served as a child sacristan at Sacred Heart Church, was a member of the Sodality for Saint Thérèse, the Little Flower, and took part in the Legion of Mary, spending Sunday afternoons praying the Rosary at the Owatonna Nursing Home. Her devotion to her faith was not just a practice but a calling—one that guided her life with grace and purpose.

After graduating from Marion High School in 1971, Peggy began a remarkable 42-year career in the banking industry, paving the way as a fearless woman in business. She began at Twin City Federal Bank and, through hard work and vision, went on to co-found a financial company, PFIC, in the early 1990s—a venture she successfully grew and later sold. She concluded her professional journey as Operations Manager for Morgan Keegan, where her integrity, intelligence, and leadership left a lasting impact.

Though Peggy’s professional accomplishments were many, her truest joy came after retirement, when she was free to devote herself fully to her greatest loves,her family and her faith. Her days were filled with prayer, service, and laughter shared with her cherished granddaughter, Emmaline, who was her heart’s delight. Together they baked cookies, shared stories, and built memories that will endure for generations. Peggy never missed an annual visit to Owatonna to connect with her mom and siblings, her last being in August with Emmaline as her co-pilot. Peggy’s strong spirit and generous heart touched everyone she met, and her friendships within her parish community at Saint Rose of Lima became a source of love and strength in her final years, where she faithfully served as a member of the Legion of Mary.

Peggy is survived by her son, Donald Ralph Yeager III; her beloved granddaughter, Emmaline Yeager; and her “bonus daughter,” Hillary Cummings. She is also survived by her siblings—Russ (Jan) and Bob Bowar, Jeanne (Leo) Seykora, Mary (Bruce) Louks, and Anne (Gregg) Draeger—as well as many dear nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was preceded in death by her parents, Agatha “Gathy” and Lucian “Bozo” Bowar, and her brother, Randy Bowar.

A Memorial Mass will be celebrated at her home parish, Saint Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, on Thursday, November 6, 2025 at 2:00 PM. A Funeral Mass will follow at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Owatonna, Minnesota, on Monday, November 10, 2025 at 11:00 AM, with fellowship and dinner in the Sacred Heart dining hall afterward.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made in Peggy’s memory to your local food bank, extending her legacy of generosity to families in need.