Margaret Doerries Obituary

Margaret A. Doerries

Born: Oct. 5, 1922; in Rockland, MA

Died: April 13, 2015; In Glen Ellyn, IL

Margaret Ann Doerries (Nee Hannigan), passed away April 13, 2015, in her Glen Ellyn home, surrounded by family.

Born in Rockland, Massachusetts, she was the daughter of the late Edward and Alice (nee Christie) Hannigan.

She was preceded in death by her husband of forty years, James W. Doerries; her five brothers, Edward, John, William, Robert and Paul Hannigan.

She is survived by her eight children, William (Dora Moreno), Mary (Peter)King, James, Peter (fianc e, Sharon), Denise, Philip, Michael (Kathryn) David (Barbara); and 15 grandchildren, 1 great grandchild and many, many nieces and nephews; her brother, Joe Hannigan; and sister-in-law, Marian Quinn.

Born October 5, 1922, in Rockland, Massachusetts, Peggy made the most out of life, and what a life she had! After graduating from Rockland High School, Peggy attended Whidden Memorial Hospital in Everett, Massachusetts, and graduated with a degree in Nursing. She registered for the United States Army in January 1945, and 6 months later found herself on board the United States Army Hospital Ship, Charles A. Stafford, headed for the War in the Pacific. She served as a general nurse on the surgical wards in Manila, Philippines, attached to the 4th General Hospital, and later on, surgical wards and hospital trains in Japan, attached to the 361 in Tokyo. She served 11 months in the Asiatic Pacific before returning to America.

Her thirst for travel not satiated, she became a TWA stewardess, based in Kansas City, Boston and San Francisco, flying as a DC-3 crew member. Her overnight trips landed her at Midway Airport in Chicago, where she visited her recently married army buddy, and was introduced to her future husband. She married James William Doerries on May 7, 1949, which ended her flying career, as married women were not allowed to be stewardesses back then.

She moved to Chicago and continued to work as a RN at Swedish Covenant Hospital on the northwest side until child number three was born. She retired to full time motherhood when the family moved to Glen Ellyn in the early 50's, to raise her eight children.

Family was her life. She was a Boy Scout leader, Girl Scout leader, room mother, taxi driver, short order cook, and laundress. Glenbard West High School football games and wrestling meetings were mainstays in her life, and she continued to attend long after her children graduated and moved away. She would later travel all across America to attend baptisms, first communions, confirmations, graduations and weddings for family and friends.

She loved all and welcomed all, hosting numerous relatives and family friends for extended stays. She enjoyed a good bridge game but always got lousy cards. She loved gardening and even with eight children running around found time to plant marigolds and pansies.

As the children moved out, Peggy became more active in St. Petronille Parish. She attended Mass daily, volunteered in Minister of Eucharistic Adoration, Sacristan and Embracing Solo, and was a member of Catholic Daughters. She visited the elderly and babysat for many of her children's friends' children. She was a great woman, a woman of faith, a woman of service.

Visitation was held at Leonard Memorial Home, 565 Duane Street, Glen Ellyn on Thursday, April 16, 2015, from 4:00 to 9:00 p.m. Family and friends were asked to meet at St. Petronille Parish, 420 Glenwood Avenue, Glen Ellyn for Mass of Christian Burial on Friday, April 17th at 10:00 a.m. Interment Queen of Heaven Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions to Alzheimer's Association, 8430 W. Bryn Mawr Ave #800, Chicago, IL 60631 or Arthritis Foundation, 35 E Upper Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL 60601 would be appreciated. If you are a Catholic, light a candle, she would like that.