Obituary for Margaret "Peggy" Polley
Margaret L (Peggy) Polley, age 104, died on July 13 at St. Joseph’s Place, Emmitsburg. She was born in Emmitsburg, MD to Mary Claudia and Charles Oscar Rosensteel, the last of their eight children. Her husband of fifty-four years, Glenn R. Polley, predeceased her in July 1996. Her survivors include a daughter, Susan Reinsch (Bill), a son, Dick Polley (Dee), two grandsons, Andrew (Rebecca Schmidt) and Christian (Rachel), and a great grandson Maximus. She is also survived by many devoted nieces, nephews, and their families.
She was born before World War I, remembered seeing doughboys return from the war, lived through the Depression, and graduated from St. Joseph’s College where she paid her tuition by sorting stamps that the nuns sold. After graduating, she moved to Baltimore to begin her teaching career. Peggy started teaching in the Catholic schools and then moved to Baltimore public schools during World War II. She and her students lived through air raid drills in the classrooms.
After she married Glenn, Peggy moved to Fairfield, where she started teaching in Emmitsburg and learned about life on the farm. It was a change, but she learned to cook dinners for farmhands during harvest, how to clean a chicken, freeze and can vegetables for winter, and continued her life as an educator while her children grew up. Peggy received a master’s degree in education from Western Maryland College, and became a guidance counselor and vice-principal at Emmitsburg high school. She had a reputation for never raising her voice to her students, but she could instill discipline with her stern look. However that stern look did not discourage her former students, some of whom still kept in touch with her. Peggy and Glenn had a wonderful group of friends they met through her teaching. Everyone loved to visit the farm.
Retirement brought new friends, interests, and more things to learn. Peggy taught Vietnamese refugees, delivered Meals on Wheels with Glenn, participated in senior exercise class into her eighties, and traveled to the western US, Ireland, Germany, and Canada. She continued to welcome friends and relatives to visit her, and also people who just wanted to stop and see the farm where she lived until she was 99. She lived a long and good life.
A Memorial Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 AM on Saturday, September 5, 2020 at St. Mary's Catholic Church, 256 Tract Road, Fairfield, PA with Fr. Peter DiTomasso, Celebrant. Interment will follow the Mass in the Fairfield Union Cemetery. The Monahan Funeral Home is in charge of the funeral arrangements and online condolences may be made at monahanfuneralhome.com.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions in memory of Peggy to Fairfield Food Bank, in care of the Fairfield Mennonite Church, 201 W Main St, Fairfield, PA 17320.
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She was born before World War I, remembered seeing doughboys return from the war, lived through the Depression, and graduated from St. Joseph’s College where she paid her tuition by sorting stamps that the nuns sold. After graduating, she moved to Baltimore to begin her teaching career. Peggy started teaching in the Catholic schools and then moved to Baltimore public schools during World War II. She and her students lived through air raid drills in the classrooms.
After she married Glenn, Peggy moved to Fairfield, where she started teaching in Emmitsburg and learned about life on the farm. It was a change, but she learned to cook dinners for farmhands during harvest, how to clean a chicken, freeze and can vegetables for winter, and continued her life as an educator while her children grew up. Peggy received a master’s degree in education from Western Maryland College, and became a guidance counselor and vice-principal at Emmitsburg high school. She had a reputation for never raising her voice to her students, but she could instill discipline with her stern look. However that stern look did not discourage her former students, some of whom still kept in touch with her. Peggy and Glenn had a wonderful group of friends they met through her teaching. Everyone loved to visit the farm.
Retirement brought new friends, interests, and more things to learn. Peggy taught Vietnamese refugees, delivered Meals on Wheels with Glenn, participated in senior exercise class into her eighties, and traveled to the western US, Ireland, Germany, and Canada. She continued to welcome friends and relatives to visit her, and also people who just wanted to stop and see the farm where she lived until she was 99. She lived a long and good life.
A Memorial Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 AM on Saturday, September 5, 2020 at St. Mary's Catholic Church, 256 Tract Road, Fairfield, PA with Fr. Peter DiTomasso, Celebrant. Interment will follow the Mass in the Fairfield Union Cemetery. The Monahan Funeral Home is in charge of the funeral arrangements and online condolences may be made at monahanfuneralhome.com.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions in memory of Peggy to Fairfield Food Bank, in care of the Fairfield Mennonite Church, 201 W Main St, Fairfield, PA 17320.
Previous Events
Service
Saturday
5
Sep
11:00 AM
St. Mary's Catholic Church
256 Tract Rd.
Fairfield, PA 17320
Cemetery Details
Location
St. Mary's Cemetery
Fairfield Road
Fairfield, PA 17320
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