Margaret E. "Peggy" Henninger

Margaret Elizabeth “Peggy” Henninger (née Shockey) of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, passed away March 9, 2019 at the age of 84.  Born August 28, 1934 in Trenton, New Jersey, she was the only child of Charles Daniel Shockey and Ethyl Ernst Brown Shockey.  Following her graduation from Hamilton High School in 1952 and the Felt and Lanant Comptometer School, she worked as a comptometer operator at John A. Roebling Son’s Company.

She met her future husband, John Herbert Henninger, of Shamokin, Pennsylvania, an aviation petty officer in the U.S. Navy, at the youth fellowship at Greenwood Avenue Methodist Church in Trenton, where they were married on February 27, 1954.  Peggy and John celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary together shortly before her death.

Peggy retired from the Prince George’s County School System in 1996 after serving 19 years, first as a health aide and later as a guidance secretary at Charles Carroll Middle School.  Previously, she worked part-time at Barby’s fabric store in Capital Plaza.

A lifelong Methodist, she was a member of St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church in Bowie at the time of her passing, having previously been a member of Ager Road and Forest Memorial United Methodist churches.  At Forest Memorial, she was instrumental in establishing a puppet ministry and led the Forest Memorial Kindred Spirits Camping Group for many years.  In addition to her church volunteer work, Peggy served as a Girl Scout troop co-leader during the 1970’s.

She had many interests, including reading, counted cross-stitch, bird-watching, all things British, playing the piano, traveling and gathering with friends.  She especially loved spending time with her husband and children and being “Nana” to her grandchildren.

She will be remembered for her kindness, sense of humor, and finding joy in the little things in life.

She was predeceased by her parents and two half-brothers, Clarence Moore Shockey and Paul Engle Shockey.  In addition to her husband, John, she is survived by four children, daughter Dawn Henninger and husband John Cleveland, son Drew Henninger and wife Carmen, daughter Kari Steinbock  and husband Craig, and son Todd Henninger and wife Amy Maden; and three grandchildren, Laura Cleveland, Jill Cleveland and husband Aaron Sachs, and Tyler Henninger.

A memorial service will be held at St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church, 14900 Annapolis Road
Bowie, Maryland, on Friday, March 15, 2019 at 2:00 p.m.  The family will receive visitors at the church following the service.

Memorial contributions may be made in Peggy’s memory to the Board of Child Care of the United Methodist Church, 3300 Gaither Rd, Baltimore, MD 21244 or to St. Matthew’s United Methodist Church Minister’s Discretionary Fund.