Mary Margaret “Peggy” Heacox

November 9, 1924 – September 3, 2024

Two years gone, but never forgotten …

MESA, Ariz. – Mary Margaret “Peggy” O’donnell Heacox passed away peacefully on September 3, 2024, two months shy of turning 100 years old. She was still living independently. She was born to the Reverend Dr. George Harvey O’donnell and Viola Elma (Martini) O’donnell in Rock, Mass., on November 9, 1924. She was the youngest of four children.

Peggy was born at home and grew up in parsonages in Franklin, N.H.; Aurora, Ind.; Louisville, Ky., and Indianapolis. A graduate of Shortridge High School, she played in band and orchestra, and was also one of the first female cheerleaders at Shortridge.

Peggy attended Butler University on an academic scholarship and graduated with a teaching degree. Later she returned to Butler and obtained her Master’s in Education. Throughout her 40 years of teaching, she positively affected hundreds of young lives, including teaching at the Indiana School for the Blind. Peggy Heacox ended her career teaching Kindergarten and first grade for the Hamilton Heights School Corporation in Arcadia, Ind., where her skill and dedication were much appreciated.

On June 20, 1948 Peggy O’donnell married Richard Orville Heacox, her husband for 61 years. Peggy made homes for her family in Indianapolis, Carmel, and Arcadia, and enjoyed almost 30 years of retirement living in Mesa, Ariz. Her wisdom, kindness and love of learning were felt by all who knew her: family, friends, neighbors, students, and classmates.

Peggy Heacox had many interests. Softball and tennis. Violin, piano and trombone. Gardening and observing nature. Sewing and cooking. Reading mystery novels. Taking care of her health. Cheering for the Chicago Cubs. A talented writer, she was a long-time member of the Poetry Society of Indiana. Several of her poems won state-wide and national awards. She often volunteered her artist abilities for community events and for several years painted the oleo curtain for the Hamilton County Theater Guild.

She is survived by her children, Kevin Heacox of Indianapolis and Kerry (Heacox) Winderman (husband John) of Bloomington, Ind. Also surviving are step-grandchildren Chris Carter, Chuck Carter, John Carter, and Beth (Carter) Nifong, all of Utica, Ind.

She is preceded in death by her parents, her husband Dick, her sister Ruth Eileen (O’donnell) Goodman and step-daughter Donna Carter. Two brothers, George Jr. and Ronald Kent, died at young ages. She is laid to rest next to her husband at Clear Creek Cemetery in Bloomington, Ind.

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