Margaret A. McCawley

Margaret Ann (Peggy) McCawley, of Cheverly, MD, gently passed away at Bayleigh Chase Assisted Living in Easton, MD, on Saturday, March 11, 2017.  Peggy was the youngest child of the late Edward J. O’Donnell, Sr., and Margaret Ann Ferguson.  Born in Scranton, PA, on September 13, 1926, she graduated from the former St. Ann’s Monastery High School in 1944.  She attended the Scranton-Lackawanna Business College and worked briefly for the War Department’s Scranton Recruiting Center before becoming the secretary and assistant to Rev. John J. Coniff, the Dean of Men and Athletic Director of the University of Scranton, in the fall of 1946.  In this position, Peggy also served as Program Manager and Director of Ticket Sales for the school’s athletic teams.  She was active with the Scranton Ski Club and an avid golfer.  While at the University, she met her future husband, Frank X. McCawley, student manager of the school’s baseball team.  Peggy remained with the University until her marriage to Frank on May 10, 1952.  Moving to the Maryland suburbs of Washington, DC, the couple eventually settled in Cheverly where they would reside for the next 62 years, raising 5 children.  Despite the duties involved in raising a family, Peggy would maintain an active life.  She was a member of the Sodality Club at St. Ambrose Catholic Church and in several formal and informal bridge clubs in the Cheverly area.  For many years, she played volleyball in a community league at Cheverly-Tuxedo Elementary School and she was a regular at the Cheverly Swim and Racquet Club.  She provided sterling service as logistics and supply officer for the many family activities, including weekend family boating on the Chesapeake Bay, family trips to Scranton and the numerous family vacations.  In 1978, she returned to the work force with the Registration Office of University College at the University of Maryland.  In her later years, Peggy enjoyed travelling with her husband.  They took many trips to Europe, cruises to the Caribbean and Alaska, and visited most of the 50 states.  They made meandering trips to Florida every year usually ending at Sunset Cove Motel in Key Largo for several weeks.  Peggy’s favorite destination, however, was the Maryland–Delaware shore from family trips to Ocean City in the 1950’s to family camping trips at Ocean View, DE, in the 1970’s.  Frank and Peggy spent their later years enjoying their condos on the Ocean City boardwalk and at Bradley at the Bay.  Peggy loved an early morning bike ride on the boardwalk, crabbing in the bay from their boat or enjoying the ocean breeze from their condo balcony.  Peggy is survived by her daughters, Maureen Burke of Cheverly, MD, and Nancy Williams of Hanover, PA, sons, Patrick McCawley (Cynthia) of Chapin, SC, and Edward McCawley (Lourdes) of Purceville, VA, and numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren.  She was predeceased by her husband, Col. Frank X. McCawley, her brothers, Dr. Edward J. O’Donnell, Jr., and Robert J. O’Donnell, and her sons, William and John and daughter, Frances.  In lieu of flowers, the family request memorials be made to Integrace Bayleigh Chase Assisted Living Dementia Unit and the Bayleigh Chase Employee Appreciation Fund – Dementia Unit, 501 Dutchman’s Lane, Easton, MD 21601.  The family would like to thank the staff and volunteers of the Eden Terrace Wing for their tender and loving care of our mother during her last few months.