Dr. Peggy D. Bennett

1949 - 2025

"We would like a straight, predictable path. But we most often get a path that changes when we least expect it, that takes us places we never intended to go. ... Take three deep breaths. Face your fear. Stand tall. Be brave."

- Bennett, Teaching with Vitality, 2018, p. 40

Dr. Peggy D. Bennett, beloved author, teacher, mentor, and friend, passed away on October 8, 2025, in Bozeman, Montana, from complications of early-onset Alzheimer's disease.

Peggy was born on November 23, 1949, in Sarasota, Florida, to Freda Blanch Purdy and Robert Leo McGinnis, and was later adopted by her stepfather, Vergil Bennett. Raised on a farm in Peru, Indiana, with her sister Barbara, Peggy grew up loving books and learning-and avoiding vegetables and cooking whenever possible.

She earned her Bachelor's and Master's degrees from Ball State University and her Ph.D. from the University of North Texas. Her distinguished teaching career spanned several universities, including the University of Texas at Arlington, Texas Christian University, and finally the Oberlin Conservatory of Music in Ohio.

An early apprenticeship under mentors Mary Helen Richards and Sister Fleurette Sweeney led to a collaborative writing and publication project with Dr. Douglas Bartholomew, SongWorks 1 (1997) and SongWorks 2 (1999). Today the Songworks Education Association thrives under former students of Peggy and her colleagues, with the byline, "Playful Teaching, Vibrant Learning".

A respected scholar and an inspiring educator, Peggy authored or co-authored six books and more than 50 articles exploring learning, wellness, and the joy of teaching. She shared her expertise through workshops and keynote presentations in all 50 states and six countries, touching the lives of countless students and teachers. After Peggy's retirement she became an award-winning mediator for the court system.

In 1984, Peggy married John "Harley" Quick of Bozeman, Montana. Together, they balanced careers and adventure, traveling the world-from African safaris to the heights of Machu Picchu. Harley preceded Peggy in death by just eight weeks.

Peggy was also preceded in death by her parents, brother-in-law Ted, and a nephew Scott. She is survived by her sister Barbara Smith of Winter Springs, Florida; brother-and sister-in-law Bob and Martha Quick of East Helena; nephew Bobby Quick (Alicia) of Livingston, and her beloved Havanese dog Charlie. Peggy is also survived by a community of friends that felt like family.

Memorial donations may be made to:

-SongWorks Education Association

-Montana Chamber Music

-Montana Choral Artists

A celebration concert honoring Peggy's life will be held in Bozeman, Montana, in the spring. Details will be posted on the SongWorks website.

"A moment of grace is the interval of time we take to reframe someone's behavior so that we can react with curiosity, compassion, or openness rather than judgment, annoyance, or defensiveness."

-Bennett & Bartholomew, 1997, p. 210

Arrangements are in the care of Dokken-Nelson Funeral Service. www.dokkennelson.com