Margaret Ann Czacki

Wife, Mother, Artist, Traveler, NM Proponent

Margaret Ann “Peggy” Czacki of Las Cruces passed away on August 29, 2025. She had many cherished and important roles in life but none she poured more energy into than that of Mother. In addition to her husband, Stan, she leaves behind two accomplished children, Mark and Catherine, who inherited her passion for the arts and frequent wanderlust, while still enjoying their “private” space…and they all chose the Southwest to be their private space and home of their art, in part due to her influence. Although she also raised, nurtured and enjoyed several pets, mostly dogs, none were present at her passing.

Peggy’s art was mostly expressed in fiber and through weaving. She was well known for her work along the I25 corridor and displayed her quality scarves, purses, runners, rugs and shawls in area galleries as well as the family’s home when living in El Paso, Elephant Butte/T or C and Las Cruces. At times she sold pieces locally but mostly gifted her best works to friends and family. Once when selling a home, a purchase prospect bought $1000 of her work, but not the home!

In addition to her vast knowledge of weaving, which she shared with others freely, Peggy was known for the custom beaded purses she produced. One artistic talent that was not publicly acknowledged was her painting. Not framed portraits and landscapes but the color palette she brought into each of the Czacki houses. Every home, immediately after purchase, was subjected to her personal choice of color. Although a collector of frog figurines and statuettes, and her favorite color being green, she was most famous for the sand and blue schemes she painted/decorated family homes at Elephant Butte Lake – the beach and the water, but indoors.

Husband Stan’s automotive manufacturing and racing career took Peggy to many corners of the world, allowing her to experience many varied sites and cultures. She was as at home entertaining Stan’s clients and colleagues from industry, or his racing hobby, as she was in the artistic circles she frequented and was a keen observer of both. These encounters and travels allowed her to visit every state in the U.S., including Alaska and Hawaii. Overseas, she got to know all of Europe and much of Mexico and Canada. These travels colored her art, and when asked she always chose NM as her favorite place! Two memories emphasize this: As a very young lady growing up on a Central Pennsylvania farm, Peggy Bierly often drew Cacti and Desert and later in life got to plant and nurture many real cacti in the desert. Secondly, when given the choice of moving back east later in life, Peggy, a lover of oceans, refused. She firmly stated she was now a New Mexican, loved “her” desert and cacti, and most of all her New Mexico friends. The pools she enjoyed and life on the lake must have sufficed for lack of a nearby ocean, but friendships, which she made easily and never abandoned, could not be substituted. In addition to those friends across the country, she leaves behind Czacki, Bierly, Malik, Rybak, Cygan, Hoffmeister, Smith, Padua, Fen, Brunelli, Person, Coyle, Wagner family from coast to coast and will be sorely missed by all.

There are no local services planned. Her ashes will be spread by family near and on land and water she dearly loved.

The Czacki family wants to thank Solstice Senior Living staff, Mesilla Valley Hospice nurses Evie, Julia, Sarah and especially Father Szal. and Getz Funeral Home for exceptional services in end-of-life care