Margaret “Peg” Wilcox Dimmer Newton, 86, of Laurium and Gratiot Lake passed away on July 23, 2014 at the home of her daughter Mary Dana in Hancock.
She was born on June 12, 1928 in Laurium, Michigan to Thomas James and Pierina Graziella (Torreano) Wilcox.
Peg is a graduate of Calumet Public Schools, and attended Michigan Technological University when she and her mother made and sold thimbleberry jam to earn the money for her college tuition.
Peg worked for UPPCO, Jilbert’s Dairy, Williams Machine & Fabricating of Michigan, and Williams Parts and Supply Company of Michigan, Arizona, and New Mexico.
While at Michigan Technological University, she met Charles W. Dimmer. They married on May 10, 1947 at St. Mary’s Church in Calumet. He preceded her in death on February 13, 1998.
On December 18, 1988, she married Gerald Newton in Tucson, Arizona.
Peg was a member of the Sacred Heart Parish in Calumet, Redemptorist Renewal Center at Pictured Rocks and Our Lady of the Desert Church in Tucson, Arizona, and St. Anthony the Abbot Church in Brooksville, Florida.
Peg is preceded in death by her first husband, Charles and her parents, Thomas and Pierina.
Peg is survived by:
Husband- Gerald Newton of Florida
5 children:
Susan C. (Richard) Dana of Laurium
Thomas C. Dimmer of Brooksville, Florida
John W. (Debbie) Dimmer of Brooksville, Florida
Michael J. (Annie) Dimmer of Grand Blanc, Michigan
Mary M. (Bret) Dana of Hancock
Grandchildren:
James M. (Janelle) Cone
Joshua M. (Christina) Cone
Chris (Angie) Dimmer
Ben Dimmer
Lauren (Rikell) Dimmer
Erin (Matt) Pietsch
Joel Newsom
Bradly Newsom
Kristy Newsom
Jacob Phelps
Great Grandchildren:
James Joshua Charles Cone
Taylor Dimmer
Tori Dimmer
Jayclin Dimmer
Isabelle Warnock
Tyler Warnock
Kaylee Newsom
Bella Newsom
Nala Newsom
Warren Newsom
Jayla Newsom
Brother:
John “Jack” Thomas Wilcox
Nephew:
T.J. Wilcox
William (Betty) Zei
Niece:
Linda (James) Mattson
A special cousin, Carolyn (Fritz) Kessanen and numerous friends in Arizona, Florida and Michigan as well as other areas of the country.
She retired early, visited every state in the union and traveled the world. In addition to many travels to Europe, Asia, Mexico, South America, Australia and New Zealand, she walked the Great Wall of China, snorkeled on the Great Barrier Reef, and most recently, rode a camel around the pyramids, took cruises down the Nile and hiked to Machu Picchu in Peru. She spent wonderful summers at the family streetcar camp at Gratiot Lake with her children and grandchildren where she had spent her childhood summers as well.
She enjoyed many years traveling in her motorhome, and along with her husband Gerry, led motor home tours around the U.S., Mexico, and Europe.
In her younger years, she was an accomplished pianist and learned to play the piano from her aunt. She was also a very talented painter. Her many paintings hang in the homes of her children and at Gratiot Lake.
As much as she loved the Keweenaw, she also loved the deserts of southwest Arizona where she lived for many years.
She was a devout Catholic, prayed the Rosary daily and attended daily Mass. She was proud to serve as a Eucharistic Minister and Reader in her churches and was a dedicated volunteer at her parish’s bookstore in Tucson. She was honored to twice visit the church of Padre Pio in Yugoslavia and to visit the shrine to Our Lady at Lourdes, France along with her mother, Pierina.
As a previous cancer survivor, she volunteered in the hospitals in Tucson and assisted women in the breast cancer clinic.
Always a gentle lady and wonderful mother, she lived a full life surrounded by her loving family and many friends who will miss her dearly and cherish her memory.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 2:00 PM on Monday, July 28, 2014 at Sacred Heart Church in Calumet/Laurium with Rev. Fr. Abraham Mupparathara to officiate. A church luncheon will follow the Mass. Friends may call at the Erickson Crowley Peterson Funeral Home before the Mass from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm on Monday.
Burial will be in the Lake View Cemetery
The Erickson Crowley Peterson Funeral Home in Calumet is assisting the family with the arrangements.
Gifts in her memory can be sent to Little Brothers/Friends of the Elderly.
Online condolences may be left for the family at www.ericksoncrowleypeterson.com
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