Peggy Lorraine Harrer

1943 - 2025

Peggy Lorraine Harrer passed away January 7th, 2025, from complications of Alzheimer's disease. She was cremated and no services are planned at this time, although there may be a memorial celebration in spring or summer when her flowers are blooming.

She was born April 6, 1943 in Fort Sill, Oklahoma to Orin B. and Loraine Ueland Tilley. Her father was career Army and the family moved often. She liked to say she attended five grade schools, five junior highs, and five high schools, in many states, the Territory of Hawaii and in Germany. She was proud of her maternal Norwegian ancestry and had many relatives in Minnesota. The family always had pets and she wanted to be a veterinarian since age 8. She told of sheltering with her sister from the rain under a tall, retired Army horse in Black Forest, Colorado, and lying down against their pet cows in Oregon to hear their stomachs growl.

Peggy graduated in 1961 from Roosevelt High School in Seattle, Washington. She attended University of Washington for three years, before being accepted into veterinary school at Washington State. There were few women veterinarians and she was one of a pioneering class of 5 at WSU. A chance to date almost every night was not conducive to scholarship, she recalled.

Peggy married a member of her class after two years and worked to help her husband finish school while raising two children. Six years later she was divorced and returned to veterinary school in 1972. Luckily, another student dropped out, leaving an empty slot for her. The curriculum was changed by then and she found she was in classes with freshmen to seniors. Her first lecture back was a senior anatomy class and she thought, "What am I doing here?" but she received an A at semester's end. She was a hit in her homemade "Un-coverall" in the vet school's Junior Review. She was allowed 3 years to finish vet school, which made it more convenient for courting with Roger, whom she met at a picnic on a ridge of Moscow Mountain in June of 1973. After her graduation two years later, they returned to the same spot and got married, surrounded by wild flowers and bushes of mock orange. And had another picnic. On her wedding day each year, American flags are flown all over the nation (as June 14 also happens to be Flag Day.)

The newlyweds moved to a small acreage in Lewiston Orchards, Idaho. Besides the home, the property had two small barns, a little rental house, a large garden, and a flock of Banty chickens. They boarded two horses in the pastures and the kids were only a block from school and a swimming pool. Roger built a woodworking shop. But Peggy was unhappy in her work and after three years they "went way out on a limb" to buy a veterinary practice in Pocatello, Idaho.

Dr. Peggy practiced veterinary medicine and surgery for small animals, birds, and exotics at Community Animal Hospital. She shortly achieved status as a Certified Small Animal Hospital by the American Animal Hospital Association, by following the detailed Manual of Standards and passing three inspections with no defaults. Only a small percentage of practices receive this recognition. For the next 29 years she was Hospital Director, and Roger worked as Business and Practice Manager. She liked to say, "He did all the stuff I didn't want to do!" So she got to follow her dream from when she was a little girl.

After only a few months in Pocatello, Peggy was elected President of the Eastern Idaho Veterinary Medical Association. She also served several years as veterinary advisor to the laboratory animal facility at Idaho State University. While in practice, she rescued and found homes for over a hundred animals. She was able to avoid euthanasia when she felt an animal could be a good pet. In her retirement, many old clients still remembered how compassionate she was when "putting to sleep" was necessary. She would often be shedding tears along with the owners.

Peggy had many hobbies. Roger soon discovered that marrying a veterinarian meant an endless stream of pets. Included along the way were many dogs and cats as well as birds, horses, tropical fish, and others. Her kids also had pet gerbils, rats, squirrels, a special Banty chicken, and a tarantula, which her son used to have crawl on his face for the shock value. Peggy worked with macramé, stained glass, glass painting, and refurbishing/redecorating furniture. She was a good seamstress. Roger returned from a river float to find she decorated the front door in the style of a medieval castle. "Oh well," he said, "after all, a man's home is his castle."

Her favorite avocation became flower gardening and native plants. She took many botany courses at Idaho State University taught by Professor Karl Holte. She particularly enjoyed field trips and gathering wild plants for her gardens. With her husband she also had a small orchard and vineyard, with a little greenhouse for starting plants. Early on, they backpacked and made many whitewater river trips, making their last multi-day trip down the Main Salmon in 2018. One of her favorite places was Craters of the Moon, where they hiked and took many photographs.

Peggy enjoyed traveling, especially by car. From moving frequently as a child, to Chicago and Massachusetts during her first marriage, to various western cities for veterinary conventions, to exploring the Big Island of Hawaii, to cruising to Alaska after retirement and many other adventures in between. She also loved to sing, and took part in many church choirs as well as just bursting into song on a long trip. She loved the ocean and could walk the beach for hours, collecting little shells and pebbles along the way.

In retirement, Peggy had many friends including old clients, a woman's games group, fellow seniors in New Knowledge Adventures, members of Native Plant Society and Audubon, and many participants on whitewater river trips.

Peggy Harrer was preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by daughter Kelsie (Lee) Sherman of Clyde Hill, Washington, son Patrick (Rejane Duarte) Deitch of New Rochelle, New York, and sister Nonie (Chuck) Stuart of Napavine , Washington, and two granddaughters.

Most folks really liked Peggy. The world is poorer in her absence. Yet many have special memories revolving around Peggy Harrer. She herself said, "Well, I had a good run." Yes indeed. Very good.

Family would like to express sincere thanks and gratitude to the staffs of Symbii Hospice Services and Caring Hearts Assisted Living for their loving, competent care and attention to Peggy's needs.

Memories and condolences may be shared at Cornelisonfh.com. In lieu of flowers please donate to Alzheimer's Association at https://act.alz.org > donate.