Margaret Ann Peterson 1946 - 2021

Margaret Ann Peterson, 74, died peacefully January 21, 2021, at her home in McMinnville, Oregon, from complications due to cancer.

The youngest of three children, Margaret was born July 3, 1946, to Lucile and Robert Peterson. She grew up in Groton, South Dakota, and graduated from Groton High School in 1964. She received her bachelor’s degree in Journalism from South Dakota State University in 1968.

Margaret applied her journalism training at United Press International in Minneapolis; small-town weekly newspapers in Rayford, North Carolina, Monterey, California, Cottage Grove, Oregon; then moved on to community relations for school districts in Eugene, Albany and Hillsboro, Oregon, and finally to Oregon School Boards Association (OSBA) in Salem, Oregon. She retired from OSBA in 2005.

An award-winning writer and photographer, Margaret was known by her colleagues and friends as direct, determined, an exceptional professional, and a delight to work with. She had a great sense of humor and was one of the kindest people her many friends say they’ve known.

She met Jeff Fahey in 1988 when she was working with the Albany School District. They finally married in 2003 and continued to enjoy their adventures together. Bored in their first retirement, Margaret and Jeff joined the Peace Corps in 2006, and spent 2007 and 2008 in the state of Chiapas, Mexico. In 2008, they moved to Washington, D.C., where Jeff worked for the Department of Labor and Margaret volunteered at The Smithsonian.

Retired again in 2012, Margaret and Jeff and moved to McMinnville, built a home, established gardens in their lot adjacent to a wetland conservation area, enjoyed birding and membership in Yamhill County Master Gardeners Association. An avid birder, Margaret kept a life list of birds she’d seen in the Americas, the South Pacific, Africa and Eurasia.

Margaret is survived by her husband, Jeff Fahey; stepdaughter, Quinn Keever, and stepson, Ian Fahey, of Bend, Oregon; brother Robert Peterson of Brevard, Tennessee; nephew, Robb Peterson of Chattanooga, Tennessee; and her brother John Peterson’s former wife, Victoria; his four sons, John, Jim, Tim and Tom. She was predeceased by her parents and her brother, John Peterson.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 1:00 p.m. Thursday, February 4, at the Chapel of Macy & Son. Memorial contributions may be made to the National Audubon Society in care of Macy & Son.

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