Margaret Harwood Obituary

Margaret (PEGGY) Rose (Daniel) Harwood was born to Joe and Rita Daniel in Atlanta, Georgia, September 29th, 1945. She left us unexpectedly on Wednesday, September 11th, 2024. She wanted to live until 99 but her body couldn't hold on. We are heartbroken and lost.

Peggy graduated Sacred Heart High School in Memphis, Tennessee in 1963. She proudly served as the first female CYO President of the Memphis Diocese. Two weeks after graduation she married our dad Al Harwood and proudly served as a United States Marine Corp wife until 1977 when dad retired and the family relocated back to Memphis, Tennessee. She worked for Methodist North Hospital on the 3-11 shift for almost 20 years until retiring in 1998 to be a full time, Nana. She was a 5-year Breast cancer survivor and endured that journey the same way she endured everything else... with gratitude and grace.

Left to walk this impossible journey (when things settle down after the holidays) are her KidZ Michael Harwood, Mary-Ellen Harwood, and Betsey Bogen, her brother Rick Daniel (Kathy) and sister Kathy Ellis (Bill), her grandchildren Griffin Harwood, Kayla Burleson (Robert) and Grey Bogen, great grandbabies and partners in crime, Eliza and Daniel, numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. If you knew Peg, you loved Peg and rest assured she loved you. Also painfully feeling her absence are Walgreens, Amazon, Target, Kroger and the makers of Estee Lauder and Maybelline.

She was the Matriarch... the one we all turned to. Motherhood was her career. Our joy was her joy. Our pain was her pain. She loved her family with her entire being and would not hesitate to put us in our place or defend us fiercely, whichever we needed most at the time. She looked at us like we were living pieces of her heart.

Her house was always spotless and if anyone stopped by unexpectedly, she magically appeared in the kitchen doorway with glasses of iced tea and cookies. She always had sound advice (whether we acknowledged that at the time or not) and made witty comments without even realizing it. She had the house all the kids wanted to hang out at, and all our friends called her Mom (or Disco Peg). She has touched so many lives with her unconditional love (can I get an Amen?). She had the most compassionate heart of anyone we've ever met.

Our mom taught us how to walk, how to talk, how to be a friend, how to keep a friend. Mom taught us the ABC's and encouraged us to read. Our relationship with our mom has shaped every other relationship in our lives. She taught us how to laugh and how to clean our bedrooms. She taught us about Elvis, the Beach Boys, and rock n roll. She taught us about appreciating others. She did not teach us how to drive (keeping it real Mom...).

She loved black and white movies, TV, pop culture and late-night chats. We could spend hours in a Hallmark store reading Shoebox cards and laughing loud enough that the whole store laughed at us. We had Oscar parties, complete with silly costumes and a red carpet lining the front hallway. We still watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade as a family and she would tear up as soon as Santa made his appearance (ya'll do know he's the REAL Santa, right?).

Aside from her family she lived for Memphis Basketball Season. She has followed Penny Hardaway since he was a player in the 80's and was so proud of him and the Tiger Team. Basketball season has not yet begun but she was prepping, planning and pre-gaming. Her back bothered her a lot, but you'd never know it watching her watch a Memphis game - jumping up and down, pacing back and forth, squealing every time they scored.

She didn't just love and follow the Royal Family - she also claimed to be related going by the name Princess Margaret Rose Louise Louise. We are fairly certain she has already had tea with Queen Elizabeth and a slumber party with Princess Diana.

The family asks any donations in her name be made to St Jude Children's Research Hospital, the West Cancer Foundation, or The Pink Wig Project... she never lost her hair during her cancer journey, but we can guarantee she would have donned a Pink Wig if she had.

There will not be a funeral but rather a Celebration / Disco Party at a later date most likely in November.

It has been raining since the day she left us, but rest assured the rain has already stopped in her location. We will continue to search for her in Rainbows, the Moon, Butterflies, and ABBA songs on the radio. We encourage you to live like Peg... Be Kind, Send Cards, Celebrate Wednesdays as fully as you'd celebrate a birthday, wear deelyboppers on your head, sing out loud, dance in your living room, be aware of the Circle of Life and no matter what Never miss the chance to MAKE A MEMORY!!