Margaret (Peggy) Phalen, 77, a devout Catholic, passed away on October 15 after a short battle with cancer with her daughter Chris by her side. Born Margaret Rose Berktold on October 6, 1944 in Lake City, MN, she grew up on a farm with her eight siblings, attending a one-room country schoolhouse followed by St. Felix School in Wabasha, MN.
At 19 years old she married Eddie Findley and lived in St. Paul, MN, where she had two daughters. Later as a single mom, she attended the University of Minnesota, graduating with a major in Latin and Greek. Her love of the classics gave her solid academic grounding, an expansive view of history, and an international world view. She repeatedly traveled to Europe, and especially Ireland, her mother’s ancestral home.
Peggy’s continuing studies equipped her for a career as a Special Education teacher, which she did in Chanhassen, MN, and then in Chinook, MT. Her intellectual ability made her especially effective in helping challenged students achieve success at school. She married Ambrose Phalen in 1984 and began another phase of life as a rancher near White Sulphur Springs, MT. Manager of the ranch, her keen business sense held things together financially during times of economic recession. Her vivid memory often brought forth entertaining stories from her past.
Peggy lived a life embracing the Catholic faith and attended mass whenever she could. She was a strong supporter of the Helena Cathedral as well as St. Bartholomew’s in White Sulphur. In her spare time, she sewed thousands of cheerful covid preventing masks for fundraising, supporting the children of the local CR Anderson’s special needs class. In her later years, she was able to spend a good part of her time with her granddaughter, Shiloh.
She is survived by her children, Julie (Dave) and Chris (Pete), her grandchildren, Charity, Jacob, Gunnar and Shiloh, her adopted grandchildren Megan and John, her great grandsons, Kodi and Danick, her 8 siblings as well as numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her granddaughter, AmberRose, her husband, Ambrose Phalen, and her parents, Englebert and Margaret Berktold.
Memorial donations in memory of Phalen can be made to the CR Anderson Middle School, specifically the FLS Classroom at 1200 Knight Street, Helena, Mt, 59601.
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Terry Rose says
October
yellow, withered, shaken down,
willow leaves strewn on the ground,
wild ducks fly far away,
to places I do not know
stubbled grasses, barren stones,
stunted wheat mown months ago,
a single semi drones and moans,
bound for places I do not know.
alone I wait for winter winds,
from far north lands I do not know,
and search the silent, half-moon sky,
my friend is where I’ll one day go.
Ah, Peg, my Latin scholar buddy clad in cowboy boots sitting high on a tractor with sunburned hands…two weathered, tough old gals, we kept plodding on despite all life sent us…see you sooner rather than later….
Nancy Beckman says
Peg Phalen was one of the kindest and most generous persons I’ve ever known. Her goodness to me and my family will never be forgotten.
May the angels lead her into Paradise.
Dale Fleck says
Peggy was and continues to be a great inspiration to me in that hard work and determination do have great rewards in many ways that are not always apparent to all but do enrich ones life. She was extremely generous to many, many charitable causes, among one was her support of the many wonderful organ concerts which were made possible at the Cathedral. And always insisted that she remain anonymous never seeking name or praise. May she find comfort among the countless angels in heaven
Fr Mike Poole says
Our beloved Peggy, always in search of ways she could help! The native people of Ebeye will always be grateful for the many children who learned to play musical instruments for Mass thanks to Peggy Phalen. She also provided hundreds of schoolbooks for both the gradeschool and high school on Ebeye in the Marshall Islands. To the 14,000 people on that island one mile long and one -quarter mile wide, she let Tham know they were loved.
Terry Rose says
To all who ever benefitted from knowing this remarkable classical scholar with a heart for the poor(including a foreign orphanage btw), please consider giving back to her and the faith she loved and which shaped her life. Living out of town, I am not sure how to manage this, but I could set up a legitimate fund via my lawyer son for gifts to the rural parishes for whom she had a deep respect; specifically, I would like to build a bench on the parish grounds of the Catholic church(s) in White Sulpher Springs and/or Townsend on which the weary, elderly, handicapped, or just folks could sit and contemplate. Should the parishes not be interested, then perhaps in a local park. ( In my old age, I find the time spent on park benches deeply beneficial to the spiritual life.) Please contact Terry Rose t2rose@comcast.net if you have any interest in this way of remembering Peg. She and I did not agree on all things political, I must tell you(lest these things matter) but we were grounded so well in clear thinking and classical reasoning that we could agree to disagree. This friendship transcended the temporal. In this spirit, I call upon any to contact me if such a project interests you. t2rose@comcast.net
Fr. Jeff Benusa says
Thank You Peggy for your generosity to the Diocese of Helena, especially in your significant contribution which made possible a new roof for St. Bartholomew Parish & Rectory in White Sulphur Springs…! Your gift & prayers were an encouragement to us all, and a sign of God’s Presence…!
Chris says
Thank you to everyone for your kind words about my mom. She was very dedicated to helping those less fortunate. Very dedicated to the church and very dedicated to those with special needs. Starting out as a special education teacher and always showing her support for those with different abilities. Thank you for that. I guess that is where i got my passion for kids.
Julie Abney says
I’m sadden to hear of Peggy’s passing. She truly was a remarkable woman and one you would most certainly want by your side in any situation. She was tough but only on the exterior. Her Heart was as big as any mountain and she would be there in an instant for anyone who needed her. I loved hearing the many stories she had from her visits to Ireland, sharing the stories of those we both knew in WSS and the sparkle in her eyes when talking about her children and grand children. She was so proud of them and they were her life. Peggy, you will be missed by all who knew you and my heart and prayers go out to your family.
We’ll see you again in heaven one day.