Peggy Jo Veal

Mendon –

Peggy Jo (Powers) Veal, 78, passed away on December 25, 2022, in the Milford Regional Medical Center.

Born in Louisville, Mississippi, to the late Harold and Mary Margaret (Johnston) Powers, Peggy often spoke of a childhood shaped by the love of her grandparents, with whom she lived as a small child, and the resilience developed through frequent moves required by her father’s military career.

She graduated from California State University Los Angeles, earning a bachelor’s degree in finance. With her daughters, she emphasized the importance of women securing an education, a career, and financial self-sufficiency. Peggy worked as a project manager in construction and led a successful business administration start-up before her retirement.

From the red clay of her grandparent’s farm in Choctaw County, MS to the granite soil of her Mendon, MA farm; Peggy’s lifepath has been marked by her positive, loving, and inspiring relationships with all of us that she touched. She prioritized what she valued the most: her family relationships, being a strong and independent woman, advocating for social and environmental justice, and being involved in her local community.

With a strong interest in liberal politics and concerns about the future of the United States, Peggy did not just express her convictions; she also acted on them. Her concerns about global warming motivated the family to install a 15KW solar system and a geothermal heating/AC system at home. Peggy also served on the Mendon Democratic Town Committee and was an active member of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Worcester.

A voracious reader and dog lover, who raised chickens, crocheted, and canned homemade jam, Peggy somehow also found time to indulge in her love of singing as a member of the semi-professional chorus, the Neponset Choral Society of Foxborough. She also enjoyed visiting her grandchildren and was very proud of their accomplishments.

In addition to her husband of 43 years, Alan Kolbe, Peggy is survived by her daughter, Penelope “Penny” Dawn (Veal) Alves and Robert of Rhode Island; her daughter, Athena Rebecca Kolbe and Ofer of Florida; her brother, Harold Powers, Jr. and Marsha of Georgia; and her three grandchildren: Faith, Rachel, and Michael. She was predeceased by her sister, Betty Ann Powers.

The Celebration of Peggy’s Life will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Worcester, MA the afternoon of April 23, 2023. The family requests that donations in Peggy’s memory be made to two community institutions she particularly valued: the UMass Medical School, Office of Advancement, 333 South St., Shrewsbury, MA 01545, and/or the Unitarian Universalist Church, 90 Holden St., Worcester, MA 01606.

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