Peggy Ann Schick

1952 - 2019

Peggy Ann Schick, devoted mother, grandmother, beloved and loyal friend and a resident of Juneau, Alaska, died in Anchorage, Alaska on May 21, 2019, from complications of ovarian cancer. She was 66 years old.

Peggy was born December 3, 1952 to Robert "Bob" and the late Ilene "Ike" Schick, the eldest of what would be five children who were raised in Nome, Alaska. She graduated from Nome-Beltz High School in 1971, and married Mark Leonard in 1972. After their divorce in 1978, Peggy moved with her two children to Juneau, Alaska, and worked for the State of Alaska for a period of time. She then moved with her girls to Oregon, and graduated from the University of Oregon in 1986 with a Bachelor's degree in Political Science and Economics. Returning to Juneau, Peggy began working for REACH in 1988 and began a 28- year career embracing her commitment to people with developmental disabilities living useful, productive, and caring lives in their community of choice. She retired from REACH in 2016.

Peggy embraced life in its many aspects. Her sense of humor made everyone laugh. She loved her family and adored her friends. She enjoyed fishing, good food, bonfires, classic literature, travel, snow machine races, fast cars, technology, and music. She had an analytical approach to almost any problem and never hesitated to share her opinion. When she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2015, after losing her youngest sister to breast cancer in 2005 and her only other sister to ovarian cancer in 2015, Peggy applied her same analytical bent to whatever faced her on her road of treatment. She made spreadsheets and lists and checked every box diligently.

Peggy was preceded in death by her sister Janet Breeden, her mother Ike Schick, and her sister Barb Earp. She is survived by her father, Bob Schick, her brothers Michael "Mike" and Louis "Louie" Schick, her daughters Deborah "Debbie" VanSlyke and Antonia "Toni" Hagan, her grandchildren Zane Henricksen, Sara and Kurtis Lee, Timothy "Junior" Hagan, Amanda and Charles "Chaz" Vanslyke. She is also survived by many other relatives and friends.

A Celebration of Life will be held at the Log Cabin at Sandy Beach in Juneau on July 7, 2019 from 4:30 – 9:30 p.m. Please bring a favorite potluck dish to share.

A Celebration of Life will be held in Anchorage and Nome in the summer of 2020.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the cancer awareness organization "Let Every Woman Know – Alaska" 3851 Piper Street, Suite U264, Anchorage, Alaska 99508.

The family may be contacted through her daughter, Debbie VanSlyke, PO Box 240234, Douglas, Alaska 99824.