Peggy Ann Monahan

Peggy Ann Monahan, 61-year-old resident of Little Falls, MN, passed away Thursday, November 17, 2022 at her home in Little Falls, MN.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Monday, November 28, 2022 at Holy Family Catholic Church in Belle Prairie, MN with Father Ben Kociemba officiating. A visitation will be held from 3:00-6:00 P.M. on Sunday, November 27, 2022 and from 9:00-11:00 A.M. on Monday all at Holy Family Catholic Church in Belle Prairie, MN. Caring for Peggy and her family is the Shelley Funeral Chapel in Little Falls, MN.

Peggy Ann Monahan (Lyter) was born in Evanston, IL on July 12, 1961 to Richard and Janet Lyter (Schoessling). She was the second of four children, and the only daughter. Her first 11 years were spent living in Illinois, but sadly most of it was spent fighting for her life. As a child, Peggy suffered with severe asthma, with it almost claiming her life several times. Many years were spent in hospitals, and doctors telling her parents that she wouldn't make it through the night. During this time, her grandpa Ray Schoessling would fly her around the country in hopes of finding a doctor that would be able to help rid her of this awful disease. It wasn't until a doctor in Colorado was able to identify the problem. She needed to get out of the city and move to a place with fresh air, a place with pine trees. The doctor suggested Minnesota. With the family already having ties to the area, in 1972 the Schoesslings and the Lyters packed up and moved to Little Falls, MN. Once the family moved to Little Falls, Peggy was able to live and enjoy life like a normal kid. Horseback riding, snowmobiling, boating, roller skating... she was finally able to live, and to breathe. She loved spending time with her family. Campground trips to Detroit Lakes, boating on Gull Lake, and 4th of July celebrations in Sanborn, ND. As long as she was with her family, her brothers, and her cousins, she was happy. Peggy adored her family, especially her little brother, Michael.

In the summer of 1978, while working as a waitress at the Pine Edge Inn she met the love of her life, Tom Monahan. On September 14, 1979, Tom and Peggy were united in marriage at Belle Prairie Church in Little Falls. In February of 1980, they welcomed their first daughter, Elizabeth into the world, and then in May of 1980, Peggy graduated from Little Falls Community High School. In the years to follow, they grew their family by welcoming three more beautiful daughters into the world; Kelly, Maria, and Anna. She loved her girls, they were her everything. Everything she did, she did it for them. Peggy always said that she didn't need friends because she had her girls; her girls were her best friends. For most of the girls' young lives, Peggy was a stay-at-home mom. Through the years, she began to get more involved with the family business and in 1999, she and Tom became the sole owners of Larson Motor Service. They worked well together and grew a very successful business, earning many awards from both the Larson and Crestliner boat factories. Over the years, Tom and Peggy expanded the business to several locations, and then in 2004 sold the Little Falls property and moved the business to Hwy 10, where it then became, and still remains, Monahan's Marine. In 2006, she started her career at MidSota Manufacturing as the Controller. Peggy met many people and gained many friends during her time there. She retired in 2021 after the passing of her husband, Tom.

Peggy took great pride in her work, but nothing made her prouder than being a grandma. Although given the name several years prior by her nephew, in 2001 she officially earned the title of "Ma Peg" when she was blessed with her very first granddaughter. Throughout the years, nine more grandbabies were welcomed into the family. She loved being a grandma and her 10 grandchildren were her world. She was so proud of each and every one of them.

Peggy found joy in many things. She loved to cook, cross stich, quilt, and most recently golf. She loved Elvis, all things Christmas and could never pass up a good Hallmark movie. She loved to share these joys with her daughters and grandchildren. Her most favorite thing to do though, was spend time with the kids at the pool. She loved having everyone over, and loved watching her family enjoy the place that she and Tom worked so hard to create. Peggy's love for her family was greater than all, and she lived her life for them. Day or night, it didn't matter, if they called her name she would drop everything and run. She was the best and she was ours. We could not have asked for a better mom or grandma. Our lives will never be the same without our Ma Peg.

Peggy is survived by daughters, Elizabeth "Buffy" (Aaron) Meier of Little Falls, MN, Kelly (Jason) Westre of Sauk Rapids, MN, Maria (Jon) Archer of Little Falls, MN and Anna (Dave) Read of Brainerd, MN; siblings, Michael (Tracy) Lyter of Nevada and Rick (Sue) Lyter of Wisconsin; grandchildren, Madeline Nuehring, Morgan Westre, Jonathan Archer II, Olivia Nuehring, Katelyn Westre, Thomas Archer, Emma Monahan, Noah Archer, Maxwell Meier, and Amelia Meier; in-laws, Kathy Hawkinson of Florence, MT, Mary Staninger of Missoula, MT, John (Paula) Monahan of Little Falls, MN, Barb Liebel of St. Cloud, MN and Patricia (Perry) Adams of Houston, TX; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Peggy was preceded in death by parents, Dick and Janet Lyter; husband, Tom Monahan; brother, Thomas Lyter; nieces, Lindsey Rae Liebel and Dawn Michelle Hornaday; and nephew, Lee Liebel.