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Margaret McEntee Obituary

Margaret M. McEntee

September 13, 1952 ~

April 27, 2023



Peg McEntee, loving wife, mother and friend, passed away peacefully due to complications from Alzheimer's disease on Thursday, April 27th. Peg was born in Salt Lake City to Elizabeth Beck McEntee and Bernard McEntee and was preceded in death by her parents.

A transfer to Fresno allowed Peg to disappear for hours at a time exploring vinyards and neighborhoods on her bike. Returning to Salt Lake, the family settled into their home on Wallace Lane in Holladay. One of the highlights of her life was the time she spent working at Charlie Woodbury's Trout Creek Boat Camp at Strawberry Reservoir. She formed an enduring, loving friendship with Scarlett Hepworth over the summers of 1967, 1968 and 1969. Peg graduated from Skyline High School in 1970, involved with the literary magazine and theater activities.

Peg enjoyed her backshop work at the U. of U.'s Daily Utah Chronicle with Rex Nutting, Ron Varela and friend through it all, Barbara Rattle. In fact, it was here that old friend Scarlett introduced her to her future husband, Bill Throneburg. Peg and Bill were married at Bill's family home June 11, 1982.

In 1982, Peg began work as a writer and editor on local and national stories for the Associated Press. She then assumed an editor's role at The Salt Lake Tribune in 1994. Her work ethic, storytelling and personality earned her enormous respect from her editors and those she worked with. She made many fast friends during her years at AP and the Trib.

Her interest in people and their stories, as well as her loyalty and energy, were evident in her personal life. Peg and Bill had their daughter, Kate, in 1987, and there could not have been a more supportive mother. She made friends wherever she went, was frequently on the phone with her siblings, and was quick to put on a pot of coffee or pour a snort.

Always alert and curious, she enjoyed travel to Europe with friends and family. One of her favorite places was Cedar Mesa in Southern Utah, where tent camping was the order of the day.

An avid reader, Peg valued her subscriptions to The New Yorker and the Sunday New York Times. She was a cherished patron of the King's English bookstore, where she racked up plenty of bookstore credits over many years. Most evenings and weekends, she could be found making her way through stories and novels. Peg and daughter Kate joked for many years that her epitaph would read, "Let me just finish this chapter."

Peg is survived by husband Bill, daughter Kate and her five siblings. The family is especially thankful for the care and careful attention paid by the entire staff of the Intermountain Medical Center.

A memorial celebration of Peg's life is pending. In honor of Peg, the family suggests that contributions be made to the Alzheimer's Association of Utah (855 E. 4800 S., Ste 100, Salt Lake City, UT 84107).

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The Salt Lake Tribune from May 4 to May 7, 2023.

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Reece Newman

June 20, 2023

To the Family of Peg McEntee. Thanks so much for the Obituary. Yes, it is indeed heartbreaking. A terrible disease took her mind and her life. The Obit is lovely and extremely well written. I owe Peg a lot. I remember sitting next to her in Latin at Skyline, and participating in Latin Club with our togas and all. Great fun! Fond memories!

Warmest regards,

Reece Newman

Scarlett Hepworth

May 16, 2023

It's almost too big a task to write a tribute to my dearest friend, Peg McEntee. Random thoughts flood my mind, so here they are in no particular order. Peg was the smartest, kindest, wittiest person I have ever known. Her demise from Alzheimer's is just plain cruel. She reached out to me when I was only 18, in the throes of the divorce of my parents, and took me away to Strawberry Reservoir where she helped me launch my new life as a free adult. I'd never had so much fun. We worked together at Strawberry, at Big Ed's, at Bear Graphics, and, finally, at the Chrony, where she found out she was a newswoman. She was the second person at the time to have passed the AP vocabulary test with a 100% correct score. I asked her once what made her such a good reporter, and she told me that she knew folks just wanted someone to hear their story, and that she did her best to be a good listener. That she was. And wise. She changed my former father-in-law's mind about gay marriage. She introduced me to my late ex-husband, Ron Varela. She was one of the Four Snort Sisters, along with me and Bunnie Killen and Leslie Van Frank. She loved Joni Mitchell and the Pointer Sisters and Bonnie Raitt and Elton John. She beautifully sang the entirety of "No Other Name" to me while driving down Daniel's Canyon one night. I will never forget her sweet voice. She caught maybe a million fish in her life, and taught me how to clean them, and how to bait a hook with a worm. We stood up for each other at our weddings and gave each other's first names as middle names to our girl babies. She saw me find my own footing in a career I hadn't foreseen and supported me wholly. Her loss to me is inexpressibly profound, an immeasurable blank space. Godspeed, Peg. I loved you so. I hope to see you again and hear your beautiful laugh. In the meantime I will watch for snow geese every spring and fall.

Robb Roberts

May 11, 2023

Peg was a great friend and pal to a bunch of us who did many fun, stupid things in high school and college.

Jeff Woodbury

May 10, 2023

I was so saddened to hear of Peg´s passing. The last time we crossed paths was at my dad´s memorial a few years ago where she paid tribute with a few words and powerful recollections of him and her time spent at Charlie´s Trout Creek Boat Camp. I met Peggy the first summer she came to work at my dad´s boat camp. I must have been 14 or 15, if that! I will always remember the night she (and her dear friend Scarlet) returned from spending their day off in Salt Lake excitedly bearing two brand-new albums which they had just gotten their hands on, and proceeded to turn me, in turn, onto Cat Steven´s Tea for the Tillerman, and CSNY´s Four Way Street. Blew my mind. She changed my life forever and I will always remember her with utmost respect and fondness. With loving memory, and may you rest in peace dear friend.

Kevin Sillito

May 7, 2023

I loved and read Peg's column every day.
Then one evening I attended a gathering at a friend's house prior to the 40th reunion of the class of 71 of Skyline. In attendance were some old friends I hadn't seen in years. It was there I saw Bill Throneburg and met Peg for the first time. From that gathering we decided that we all needed to get together and for many years we all got together around once a month. Peg had a vast knowledge that she shared with us as well as her fabulous sense of humor.
I am saddened for Bill and Kate but am glad that Peg is now freed from the struggle of alzheimers. My sincere condolences to Bill and Kate,her siblings and to all whose lives she touched.

The King's English Bookshop

May 4, 2023

We sure loved Peg and always looked forward to talking books with her at The King's English! We'll miss her smile and huge intellect.

Lois Collins

May 4, 2023

Peg was one of my favorite people, going back decades. So sorry, Bill and Kate.

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