PEG MONTFORT

1928 - 2020

On December 10, 2020, our dear mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister and beloved friend passed away at the age of 92 1/2 years old, held in the loving arms of hospice nurse and angel Elizabeth Rubi, one of Mom's family of the heart. Margaret "Peg" Rose Hansen Montfort was born on June 9, 1928 in Chignik, Alaska, the second youngest of eight children. When she was two, her father Lars Hansen froze to death waiting for a ferry between islands on the Aleutian chain, and her mother Nancy Anderson Hansen sent Mom and her six older siblings to the Jesse Lee Methodist home in Seward, Alaska. Mom remembers her time there as loving but strict, with an emphasis on the importance of school, church, chores, reading and play. She spoke of her older brother Jim working in the bakery at the home and saving her warm bread, but she also remembered being too cold in the winter, which planted the seeds of her ultimate search for warmer climes. When she was 13, the home was closed because of World War II. Fortunately, because of her activity in the 4-H club, Mom was recommended to Max and Dorothy Sherrod of Palmer, Alaska. They needed help with their farm and a "sister" for their daughter Janet; so off Mom went, to be part of their family for the next five years and in their hearts and hers for the rest of their lives. Mom graduated from high school in Palmer and saved money to go to college in Texas--it is warmer in Texas! --by working for two years at Elmendorf AFB near Anchorage. She finally made it to Richardson, Texas, where she went to school, sang in the choir, and met three lovely new friends. This group of three convinced Mom to move to Longview, the location of a new engineering firm, to find husbands, although Mom always swore that was not her agenda. Nevertheless, she met the love of her life, John Gordon Montfort, at the elevators while working there as a secretary. Their courtship involved away college football games, symphony concerts and much dining and dancing with a group of great friends. They married November 16, 1952 and were together until Dad passed on January 3, 2012.

John's career as a pipeline engineer and executive took them first to Oxford, Mississippi (she recalled seeing Faulkner about town and speaking with him once). A few years later they moved to Redlands, California, which Mom loved, and finally to Flagstaff in 1969, which Mom was less enthusiastic about because of the snow! Mom made wonderful friends here and contributed her time, energy and brilliant, irrepressible spirit to many organizations and activities. She was active politically starting in the early 1960's, and this continued throughout her life including leading the campaign locally for John McCain in one of his early senate races. She and Dad loved to travel, and her kids, grandchildren and many friends enjoyed adventures far and wide with the dynamic duo. Long rides with family, Javelina Cantina in Sedona, frequent breakfasts at Miley's with her pals at Sedona Winds and trips to Dairy Queen remained favorite pastimes.

Mom was proud of her role as wife and mother, and she was fiercely loyal and devoted to her family. Her stories of resilience, told with laughter and tears, shaped our lives and for that we are grateful. She was informed, articulate, witty, funny, brave, intrepid, ornery, beautiful, saucy, and loved a good joke or story. We will miss her beautiful singular ways: Sunglasses and lipstick no matter what, how she closed her eyes and snapped and swayed when she heard a song she loved, her loud giggle, her beautiful singing voice and handwriting, and her distinctive vocabulary and turns of phrase.

Peg is survived by her four children Becky Gibbs (Bill), Tom Montfort (Lela), Nina Marie and Margaret Montfort, surrogate daughter Rose Rosalanka; sister Molly Callahan, brother Morris Hansen, both sister of the heart to Peg and mother of the heart to Margaret, Marianne Aude (Tommy); grandchildren Juli, Krista (Mikhale), Emily, Hannah, Parker, Austin (Annie) and Tess; and great-grandchildren Jack, Cooper, Adelaide and Franklin. Mom made lovely new friends at Sedona Winds Assisted Living and had a million dollar view of Bell Rock since 2016. The staff at the Winds called her Trouble and loved her completely. Mom was blessed until the end.

We are hoping for a rousing celebration of Peg and her life in June, fingers-crossed, vaccinated and safe!

Memories and condolences can be shared with family online at www.novelowensmortuary.com