RICHFIELD SPRINGS - Margaret "Peg" Skinner, died peacefully on Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2010, following a brief illness. She is predeceased by her husband, Merton Skinner Jr., who she met on their respective high school senior trips to Washington, D.C. They were married Feb. 8, 1941, and shared 53 years together until Mert's death in December of 1994. She is survived by two daughters, Sylvia Skinner-DeFrancisco of Canastota and Jacqueline Skinner Eggleston and her husband, Chris Eggleston of Richfield Springs; and one very beloved granddaughter, Breelynd Eggleston and her husband, Brandon Dawley, also of Richfield Springs. Lastly, she leaves Patch, her wonderful rescue cat, who was her constant companion. Peg was delivered by a midwife at the home of her parents, Minnie and William Zeh, in the village of Howes Cave, on July 26, 1921. Her parents were farmers in East Springfield and Peg always considered herself a farm girl at heart. She became a lifelong flower gardener and was frequently seen mowing her lawn into her 87th year. She was quick to say there was no place she would rather be than in her own home or garden. An avid reader, mystery novels often kept her up into the wee hours of the morning. Before her daughters were born Peg worked at the Shurkatch Fishing Tackle Company and, during W.W. II, at Remington Arms, while her husband served in the U.S. Army Air Corps. She was a stay-at-home mom following the births of her daughters. Quietly trailblazing the way for the women's movement, she chose to not give her daughters middle names so that they would continue to use their maiden names if they later married. Her proudest memories were of her daughters and granddaughter. She and Mert were the best "Grandparent Day Care" for Breelynd until she started kindergarten. They delighted in her and in being grandparents, a mutual love that lasted their lifetime. Family and friends will remember Peg as warm, open and supportive and having a wry sense of humor that she maintained until the finals days of her life. Her daughters' closest friends grew to be her "other children" and have shared in the unique wisdom, compassion and love that will be part of her legacy. Peg requested that she not have calling hours or a formal funeral. With the assistance of the J. Seaton McGrath Funeral Home, she was buried next to her husband, in a private graveside ceremony in Columbia Cemetery. Contributions may be made in her memory to the Susquehanna SPCA, 4841 State Highway 28, Cooperstown, NY 13326, Wanderers Rest Humane Association Inc., 7138 Sutherland Drive Canastota, NY 13032, Herkimer County Humane Society, 514 New York 5S, Mohawk, NY 13407, Richfield Springs Volunteer Fire Department and Emergency Squad, 34 E. James St., Richfield Springs, NY 13439, or a charity of choice.