Loved to sing, dance, tell stories and bring joy to others
CHARLTON – Marguerite A. “Peggye” (Kirby) Bauer, 109, of Charlton, formerly of Reading and St. Louis, Missouri, died peacefully on Tuesday, August 24, 2021, surrounded by her family, at the Overlook Masonic Home in Charlton. She was the beloved wife of the late Fred H. Bauer.
Born in St. Louis, Missouri, on August 6, 1912, she was the daughter of the late Alfred J. and Adeline (Ashton) Kirby. She was a graduate of Beaumont High School in St. Louis.
Peggye was a retired private secretary for the Retail Credit Company in Missouri. She moved to Reading in 1999 and to Charlton in 2010. She was a member of the Union Congregational Church in North Reading and a 61-year member of The Order of Eastern Star (Mount Carmel Chapter, No. 230 in North Reading and Hope Chapter, No. 313 in St. Louis).
Peggye was someone that anytime you saw her she was full of life, smiling and always curious. Her smile would light up a room and she told so many stories with such joy. She loved to sing and was a member of a singers group that visited nursing homes who brought happiness to so many. She loved to dance and enjoyed many Shriners’ dances with her late husband. She loved crocheting afghans, reading and spending time with her family.
Family members include her late son Fred Kirby Bauer; she is survived by her daughter-in-law, Kay J. Bauer; late siblings Alfred and George Kirby (twin brother), Grace Radford, Ruth Johns, and Mary Jane Maxwell. She was the loving grandmother to Kim Bauer, Jan Rasche and Jill DeCourcy; cherished great-grandmother to Keith Carl and his wife Kendra, Andrew Ratcliffe and his wife Bethany, Brit Ratcliffe, Kelley Cleary and her husband David, Ashley and Matthew DeCourcy and special great-great grandmother to Ryan and Jacob Carl. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Thursday, September 9 at 10:30 a.m. at the Union Congregational Church, 148 Haverhill Street, North Reading. There will be no calling hours. Interment will be held at Memorial Park Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri.
In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to the Memorial Fund at Union Congregational Church, 148 Haverhill Street, North Reading, MA 01864 or to Mt. Carmel Chapter No. 230, Order of Eastern Star, c/o Sally Putney, 20 Riverside Drive, North Reading, MA 01864.
Due to the ongoing pandemic, we will be taking precautions including:
• Making hand sanitizer and masks available
• Masks will be required
• For the safety of all, we have decided not to have a receiving line or to congregate as a group afterward.
• The service will be live-streamed using the link below for those unable to attend.
Arrangements are by the Croswell Funeral Home, 19 Bow Street, North Reading, MA 01864. To leave an online message of condolence, please visit www.croswellfuneralhome.com.
