Margaret "Peggy" Deloris (Austin) James

Margaret “Peggy” Deloris (Austin) James, 97 years young, passed away peacefully with family by her side on Tuesday, October 1st, 2024, at Heritage Living Center in Park Rapids, MN. She was born in Iron Mountain, MI, on January 27, 1927, the daughter of Jesse (Lee) and Oscar Austin.

Peggy lived the first few years of life in Michigan before moving to the Roseau, MN area. She went to a one-room schoolhouse, where her mom was the teacher. She continued her education at Concordia College for a year and then transferred to Moorhead State, where she received her bachelor's degree. Peggy moved to Walker for her first teaching job with the Walker School District. While in Walker, she met the love of her life, Robert, they were united in marriage on November 25, 1950. Peggy retired in 1992 from the Walker School, where she mainly taught first and second grade.

Peggy and Robert enjoyed sharing time in the kitchen, where they made most meals together as a team. She enjoyed cooking and baking; at Christmas time she would make Lutefisk and pork chops for the non-lutefisk eaters. She was an active member for many years at Hope Lutheran Church, sang in the choir, helped with quilts, and continued to help cut material for quilts from home, when she no longer left home. She was a member in several organizations: P.E.O., bridge club, ladies golf league, church choir, and the Spencer Ross American Legion Post #134 Auxiliary 50 years! She loved watching her children in their sporting and music events. Peg was a wonderful, sweet woman who was always smiling and happy. She brought joy everywhere she went, leaving a positive and lasting impact on those around her.

Peg enjoyed a trip to Europe, visiting many places along the way, especially Norway to see where the Austin Family was originally from, meeting distant relatives. She continued the family camping trips to Canada for years. She enjoyed reading books by Christian author, Max Lucado, writing letters, word search puzzles, visiting on the phone if not in person, and watching “Blue Bloods” on television, a favorite of hers because the family always had a Sunday meal and prayer together. To know Peg was to know love and kindness. Peg will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved her.

Preceding Peg in death are her parents, Jesse and Oscar; husband, Robert “Bob” James; brother, Kenny Austin; sisters, Corrine Mitchell and Betty Roth; sister-in-law, Bonnie Austin; brothers-in law, Gale Mitchell and Loren Roth; and nephews, Jim Austin and Jeff Mitchell.

Peg is survived by sons, Rick (Leslie), Tim (Cynthia E.), and Tom (Cynthia A.) James; daughter, Julie Finch; sister, Lois (Laverne) Nornes; grandchildren, Ben (Haille), Shana, Danielle, Erika (Levi), Rylee (Brady), Ethan (Regan), Gavin, Nicole (Austin), Grant (Sydney), Garrett (Megan), Victoria (Nick); great-grandchildren, Jenna, Eric, Christopher, Hailey, James, Walker, Elijah, Gunner, Alex and Sage.

A Celebration of Peg’s Life will begin at 12:00 p.m., Saturday, October 19th, 2024, with a visitation one-hour prior, all to be held at Hope Lutheran Church of Walker, MN. Pastors Matthew McWaters and Dave Smith will officiate. Peg’s urn bearers are all her children. Inurnment will immediately follow her service in Evergreen Cemetery in Walker, MN, with a luncheon following back at Hope Lutheran.

Peg’s care has been entrusted to Northern Peace Funeral Home of Walker, MN. Online condolences for the family may be left at www.northernpeace.com

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