Obituary of Peggy Kelbaugh

The death of Peggy Kelbaugh (nee Harding) of Quispamsis, wife of the late Paul Kelbaugh, occurred Sunday, July 10th, 2011 at the Saint John Regional Hospital. Born under a thatched roof on her parents' rubber tree plantation in Malaya, 1915, she was the daughter of the late George and Beatrice (Armstrong) Harding. Peggy Harding spent her childhood on a farm in Hammond River, New Brunswick. After graduating from Netherwood School, she studied commercial art for two years at the New York School of Fine and Applied Art (Parsons) and a third year at their branch in Paris. Aged 23, she traveled back to Malaya for a year before landing a job at Eaton's in Toronto, painting large murals for window displays. Over the next ten years, she held several exhibitions at Toronto’s Picture Loan Gallery. When Peggy married Paul Kelbaugh in 1952, she moved with him to Washington, DC. While raising two children, she took classes in kiln-fired glass. Upon moving back to Hammond River in 1966, Peggy took up this kiln-fired passion. For years she was the only artisan who sold glass plates and wind chimes at craft fairs and shops around the province. Although slowed by a stroke in her 80s, Peggy kept her zest for life. In her 90s, she still scootered after chickens at Brunswick Nurseries and wrote letters-to-the-editor when the need arose. Peggy is survived by two children, Duncan (Betty Pugh) and Gretchen Kelbaugh, both of Quispamsis; five grandchildren: Christian and Shane Kelbaugh, Jacqueline Smith (Dave) and her brothers Alexander and Benjamin Wilson; great-grandson, Aiden Smith; dear cousins Ruth Meredith, Margaret Bourne and Peggy Harding and many younger cousins. She will be missed by her dedicated caregivers, Eleanore Kelley and Nancy Crooks, and many friends. Arrangements are entrusted to Kennebecasis Community Funeral Home, 152 Pettingill Road, Quispamsis, (506) 849-2119, with visitation from 3-4 PM on Thursday, July 14th, 2011, which will be immediately followed by a memorial service at 4:00 PM. For those who wish, donations may be made to the Heart & Stroke Foundation of New Brunswick, Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of Canada or to the Saint John SPCA Animal Rescue. Online donations and condolences may be made at: www.kennebecasisfh.com