Obituary of Margaret Malsor Gould

MARGARET ELINOR MALSOR GOULD "PEGGE" Pegge passed on the beautiful sunny, morning of March 5th, 2011 and was celebrated in the evening with her beloved fireworks. She is survived by her husband of 55 years, Franklin Mann Gould, and three children: Richard and wife Margaret, Anne and husband Peter, and Michael and wife Audrey. Five grandchildren were special to her: Julia, Emily, and Eric Damron, Conor Gould, and Christopher Montero. Numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and extended family survive Pegge-she followed everyone's education, travels and exploits with delight. Pegge was born in Bozeman, Montana to Roy and Salome Malsor. Her younger brother, Roy Jr., predeceased her. She graduated from Gallatin County High School, and the University of California, Berkeley with a B.A. in History. While at Berkeley she was active in Delta Zeta Sorority, Prytanean, and the Daily Cal. Annually, Pegge traveled to meet her elementary and high school classmates-the "Dizzy Dozen." After graduation she moved to San Francisco to work for Kenyon and Eckhardt Advertising as an executive secretary. She also drove a bus for the Red Cross. After they met in Capitola, California at the first Begonia Festival, she married Frank at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in San Francisco and honeymooned in Acapulco. They lived in Marin County until the first of their three children was born in San Francisco. The family resided in San Francisco in the Marina and the Richmond District Avenues. Pegge was active in Little Children's Aid Junior Auxiliary and Delta Zeta alumni activities while her children were young. A move into a new house in Santa Cruz opened doors to many new activities. She was active in the Girl Scouts of America beginning as a Brownie leader, and eventually became President of the Monterey Bay Council of Girl Scouts. Girl Scout activities allowed her to enjoy camping and later travel to many destinations in the U.S. Many friends joined in on her adventures She also was on the Good Shepherd School Board, was a 4H leader, served as an election board inspector for many years, and was on the board of Lyceum and the board of the Alzheimer's Association of Santa Cruz County. As a member of Resurrection Catholic Church, Pegge was one of the first female Eucharistic Ministers. She served mainly at six or seven o'clock Mass and was a faithful Eucharistic Minister at Dominican Hospital. The parish's knitting group also benefited from her talent. In addition, Pegge was active at the Museum of Art and History as a volunteer. She studied native plants and wildflowers and was a member of the California Native Plant Society. Counted Cross Stitch embroidery was a personal fascination for Pegge and she was active in the local Embroiderers Guild of America, with many friends as well as holding many offices. She collected many diverse items from beer mugs to matchbooks, thimbles to sports ticket stubs. She read voraciously, especially the newspaper and novels by contemporary female writers. Genealogy was a passion she shared with many family members. Dogs and cats were always a favorite, and up to 40 were underfoot and she would have welcomed more. Strays and hurt animals were a specialty. Neighbors enjoyed her participation in their "Committee Meetings." Pegge loved American holidays such as the Fourth of July (Fireworks!) and was the founder of the family's forty-three-year tradition of Thanksgiving at the Beach. Sports were always of interest, from supporting her children's multiple sport activities to being a fan of the San Francisco Giants, San Francisco 49ers, and Cal sports including football, rugby, soccer, and track & field. She was a skier from an early age and skied in California, Nevada, and Montana. Pegge and Frank attended the Olympic Games in Los Angeles, Calgary, Atlanta, and Salt Lake City in addition to the World Cup at Stanford. Cal's Lair of the Bear/Camp Blue was an annual trek for the family for several years. Donations in Pegge's name may be sent to Girl Scouts of the Central Coast, Alzheimer's Association of Santa Cruz County, University Of California, Berkeley Athletic Dept. (Women's Soccer or Rugby), Hospice of Santa Cruz County or the charity of your choice. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, March 19th, 2011 at 10 a.m. at Resurrection Catholic Church, 7600 Soquel Drive, Aptos, CA, 95003 with internment at the adjacent Mt. Carmel Cemetery. Immediately following please join the family for a reception in Resurrection's Markey Hall. In lieu of flowers, please nurture the wildflowers and native plants in your area. Please visit www.pacificgardenschapel.com to light a candle for Pegge and share any condolences with the family.