Mary Margaret Doris (Peggy) Estabrooks (née Brown)

Mary Margaret Doris (Peggy) Brown Estabrooks passed away at Bowview Manor on Wednesday September 16. She was 93 years of age.

Peggy will be lovingly remembered by her seven children, Lynne (Matthew), Peter, Stephen (Val), John, Paul (Jennie), Michael, & Nicole; 19 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; her sister, Muriel (John Currah); and many extended family members. Peggy is predeceased by her husband, Eugene Milton (Pete) Estabrooks.

Peggy was born in Montreal, Quebec, to Gordon Brown and Colombe Drapeau. She grew up in Terrasse-Vaudreuil, across the street from her grandparents and favourite aunts, Tante Raymonde and Tante Lillian Drapeau. Peggy was in high school when her beloved sister, Muriel was born. Not long after that, Peggy fell in love and married Pete. Together they traveled to Brigham Young University in Utah. Peggy began her pattern of returning home to the Terrasse when Lynne and Peter were born. With a geology degree completed, Pete and Peggy moved to Sudbury, Ontario. There they met the missionaries of the Church Of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, were converted and joined the church. Steve and John were born there, and then Pete’s job continued to take them to new places, and they moved to Wawa, Ontario where Paul was born. Peggy focused on raising her brood in the remote community without a car or family support. She continued to travel back to Terrasse Vauldreuil each summer with all the kids while Pete worked in the bush of Northern Ontario.

In 1968 Pete accepted a job at Geophoto Services, and he and Peggy moved their family to Calgary, Alberta where Michael was born. Peggy’s sense of adventure and willingness to accept challenges emerged when she moved all the kids and the household to Sydney, Australia for two years to support Pete as he continued his career. Nicole Miranda was born shortly after their return to Calgary. Notably, Nicole’s middle name Miranda was chosen because Miranda Fair was Peggy’s favorite shopping mall in Sydney.

As the kids matured, Peggy’s interests turned outward. She developed marketing and teaching skills as she began working in banking at National Trust, and then transitioned into teaching English as a second language at Maple Leaf Academy. She adored her career as a teacher, and she embraced the opportunity to develop her teaching skills. She loved to make new friends and help them adjust to life in Canada.

Pete and Peggy built a support network of friends through their activity in the Bow Valley Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Peggy loved people, and was happiest when she was making friends and feeding those around her. Over the years Peggy welcomed young people who needed a “mom” to stay with her family. Several of her grandkids got to live with her and Pete as they attended university.

Peggy loved acting in community theatre and singing in many choirs. She relished social events, throwing many dinner and game parties with family and friends. She had an infectious sense of humor, had a mittful of silly jokes that she shared on many occasions. Her sense of the absurd emerged in many ways, notably on Halloween or when engaging in escapades with her children. She stayed fit and alert, working out regularly at Peter’s gym.

One family highlight was the annual caroling event on Christmas Eve. With a car full of plates of homemade treats, Peggy would wrangle her kids and grandkids into singing on her friends’ doorsteps and sharing goodies. (Her children learned that nanaimo bars and shortbread are delicious frozen, when swiped surreptitiously from the freezer in December).

When Pete passed away in 2012, they had been married for 56 years.

Peggy believed that family were people you loved, and as such there are many family members with whom she was delighted to share her life. Thanks to Diane and Jacques, Muriel and John and their families, to her many friends, and to Erva Sherwood, and the caregivers at Bowview Manor, for their care and support in Peggy's life journey.

A Funeral Service for Peggy will take place at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - West Stake Center (6560 Silver Springs Crescent NW, Calgary) on Friday October 2, 2026 at 11:00am with visitation beginning at 10:00am. Graveside Service will be after the luncheon at Queen's Park Cemetery (3219 - 4 Street NW, Calgary)

Donations may be made to The Calgary Food Bank.