SAUGUS, Mass., and LINCOLNVILLE BEACH – Margaret Terese (Cormier) Cardarelli “Maggie,” “Aunt Peggy,” 94, passed away peacefully in her sleep Feb.3, 2009, at Harbor Hill Rehab Center, Belfast, where she was lovingly protected and tenderly cared for. The daughter of John and Mary Jane “Min” (McDonald) Cormier, originally of St. John’s, Newfoundland, Peggy was born and was educated in Everett, Mass, with her three older sisters and younger brother, all of whom predeceased her. Her family was very close knit with the sisters, sharing time and events of their lives together until death. Among the four sisters, Peggy was the comedian with hilarious one-liners throwing everyone into gales of laughter when otherwise things were staid, quiet and predictable on any given summer afternoon. She especially delighted in darting shock waves through her saintly sister, Louise, with out-of-the-blue earthly comments and salty language, just to get a reaction and spice up a dull moment. Louise was the sister who had almost become a nun and never failed to gasp in response. In 1939, she married her soul mate and great love, Danny, who died in 1985, after 46 great years together. They met while enjoying the favorite pastime of the early 1930s, ballroom dancing. She avowed she fell in love with Danny because he was so handsome and the best dancer in the world. Peggy and Danny settled in their cape style home in the early 1960s, filling it with their uniqueness and beauty. Cultivating strong friendships among all their neighbors, like Dolly and Gerry MacKenna, Annie, Bernice, Mrs. Silver, Pat, Frank and Judy Hyde’s family, Peg and Dan shared a delightful and happy life in their Saugus, Mass., home. After Danny’s death, Peggy was often heard to say how she loved her home and hoped that she would be privilege to die in it. Even though each one of the four broken bones or life threatening infections that hit her since 2004 may have resulted in slight weakening of the body, there was also undeniable strengthening of her strong spirit and trusting nature. She trusted God, her family, her fabulous, thoughtful care givers, like Lynn St. Pierre, Lindsey, Brenda, Denny, Juanita, Stacy, Mary and so many others at home, Harbor Hill and Waldo County General Hospital, Belfast. Maggie’s beloved nieces, nephews and friends wishing to understand how she overcame her illnesses and adversity need only look back over her life, remembering how she always looked forward to the dawn of tomorrow and the joy it would bring. The closer death approached, the more life came to Peggy in the form of new friends like Lynn St. Pierre, Eddie Cloutier, Jim and Sue O’Reilley, Red and Martha Garofalo, Justin Blake, Marge and Lindsey Hutchings, Leo, Mary Lee, Thom and Mike Mills; and shih tzus, Dino and Sophie, her beloved little lap mates. Finally, there was the erosion of pain caused by old wounds, which altogether may explain why “Maggie” became her new name this past year. There will be a memorial visitation noon-2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 7, at Bisbee-Porcella Funeral Home, 541 Lincoln Ave., Saugus, Mass., where services will begin 2 p.m. Interment will be held Feb. 9 at Puritan Cemetery, Lynn, Mass. A celebration of Maggie’s life will be held on her 95th birthday, May 19 at the home of Ann and Leo Mills in Lincolnville.
MARGARET TERESE (CORMIER) CARDARELLI
