Marguerite “Peggy” Ann Fowkes, SCN, 90 (formerly Sister Richard Maria) was born February 25, 1934, in Boston, Mass. to John Fowkes and Bessie (Dever) Fowkes. She died on Nov. 28, 2024, in Louisville, Ky. She was a Sister of Charity of Nazareth for 67 years.
One of 11 children, she is preceded in death by her siblings Jackie Fowkes, Robert Fowkes, David Fowkes, James Fowkes, and Paul Fowkes
After making her first vows in December 1956, Sister Peggy began serving in educational ministry as a seventh and eighth-grade teacher at St. Joseph in Bowling Green, Ky. From there she taught grade school at St. Ann in Wollaston, Mass., and St. Mary in Martins Ferry, Ohio.
Sister Peggy earned a bachelor’s degree in Education from Spalding College in Louisville and later a master’s degree in school librarianship from Spalding.
While studying to become a librarian. Sister Peggy served her religious community, the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, in the transportation department at Nazareth
She began serving as a librarian at St. Pius X School in Louisville. She also was the school librarian for St. Joseph School in Bardstown, Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in Louisville, Our Lady of Nazareth Academy in Wakefield, Mass., and Sacred Heart School in Quincy, Mass.
For several years she served in home health for Melrose Wakefield Hospital in Melrose, Mass. Sister Peggy would also regularly sit with Sisters who were ill, often volunteering for the night shift. As a patient herself, Sister Peggy was a very hopeful and never-complaining person under all kinds of tough medical procedures. She had great respect for doctors and nurses and expressed her gratitude to them for her care.
She is survived by her sisters, Maureen Tolson (Martin) Eileen Crimmins (Philip) Bernadette Moran (Michael), her brothers, Gerard Fowkes (Gertrude), Richard Fowkes (Mary Locke), and her sister-in-law Ethel Fowkes. She is survived by her large extended family, friends, and religious community, the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth.
Sister Peggy’s arrangements:
- The Wake will be held Tuesday, Dec. 10 at 6:30 p.m. in St. Vincent de Paul Church in Nazareth
- The Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Dec.11, in St. Vincent de Paul Church
- Burial will follow in the Nazareth Cemetery.
- The Wake and the Funeral Mass will be live-streamed at nazareth.org/live.
Funeral Arrangements are being handled by Ratterman Funeral Home, 3800 Bardstown Road in Louisville. Memorials may be made to the Office of Mission Advancement, PO Box 9, Nazareth, KY, 40048
Please accept my sincere condolences on the loss of Sister Peggy. My thoughts and prayers go out to her family, friends, colleagues, former students, and those who served with her as Sisters of Charity of Nazareth. She and the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth ran many successful schools in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston. I had the good fortune to work with these schools and observe firsthand the high quality and excellence of each.
In 2009, I met members of her order and worked with the sisters in the sad closing Our Lady of Nazareth Academy, an outstanding school for girls. Most of the Sisters’ schools are operating successfully and helping the order reach its vision of preparing students to be practicing Catholics with a love of God, a commitment to excellence and strong character and integrity.
I am blessed to be the sister-in-law of her wonderful nephew Jackie Fowkes and his amazing wife Mary O’Neill Fowkes and aunt to their talented children Tommy and Kathleen.
May Sister Peggy rest in peace.
Warmest regards,
Mary Grassa O’Neill
We had the honor and pleasure of meeting Aunt Peggy. Loved her from the start. May you Rest in Peace. You will be missed. Our condolences to the family. May God comfort the family in this time of need.
From the Gomez family in San Antonio TX. Roger, Rachel, Jason , Sofie
Auntie Peggy will be greatly missed! Always happy and so fun to be around! I’m so grateful for the many years of memories that I will cherish! Rest Easy Auntie!
I lived with Peggy as a novice at St. Pius X, and later worked with her when I was a teacher there. In later years when I became a librarian myself, I always remembered the special relationship she had with her students and tried to follow her example. Rest in the arms of God, Peggy.
Peggy, you and Sister Alice (Ada, my aunt and godmother) were always there for me. You were always so kind. May you rest in peace.
Peggy, you were one of kindest people we’ve ever known. My family loved you very much. You and Ada were both so good to my kids and family. They still have a number of special memories and gifts you gave them that will never be forgotten. We pray you are resting in eternal peace with Ada.
We will all miss Aunt Peggy.
Mary, Jack, Tom & Kathleen Fowkes
My heart goes out to Sister Peggy’s family and the Sisters of Charity during this time.
I will cherish the time I had with her as her nursing assistant at Nazareth. She greeted me in the morning in good spirits with a smile on her face and said “Good Morning”.