Margaret Thakor

Margaret "Peggy" Thakor died peacefully at Meriter Health Care Center on November 13, 2005. Funeral services will be held on Monday at 11:00 AM at Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Bismarck with Rev. Thomas E. Kramer officiating. Burial will be at Sunset Memorial Gardens. Visitation will be Sunday from 6:00 - 9:00 PM at Eastgate Funeral Service where a rosary service will be held at 7:00 PM. Margaret was born on January 4, 1935 in Old Ruth, Nevada to James and Margaret Knowles Thistle. Peggy graduated from White Pine High School in Ely, Nevada, and she completed her nurses training at Holy Cross Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah. Peggy married S. J. Thakor, MD in 1956, and they moved to North Dakota in 1958. After living in Jamestown for four years working at the North Dakota State Hospital, they relocated to Bismarck where they lived for the next 42 years. Peggy completed her Bachelor's Degree in Nursing in 1967 at Mary College. She then earned her Master's Degree in Guidance and Counseling with a specialty in Drug and Alcohol Counseling in 1978 from North Dakota State University. Peggy started her career working in surgical nursing and then psychiatric nursing. She worked in the Continuing Education Department of Bismarck Hospital until she completed her Master's Degree. She then became the school nurse and guidance counselor at St. Mary's Central High School where she remained for 20 years until her retirement in 1998. Peggy had a real sense of community through St.Mary's High School. From being a parent to her sister Priscilla as she attended St. Mary's in the 1960's, to gaining employment there and having Dennis, Sheila and Mike graduate in the 1970's, through Lisa and Mike Schmaltz's graduations in the 1980's, to her retirement in the 1990's, Peggy was involved in the lives of generations of Bismarck families. Peggy loved working at St. Mary's Central High School. She developed many innovative programs there. All students attained CPR certification. She organized blood drives and developed a healthy lifestyles program. She developed programming to keep pregnant girls in high school through graduation. She started peer-counseling groups and she developed a basic life skills curriculum. She worked diligently to help kids that needed help, whether it was with food, clothes, shelter, classroom work, recommendations, scholarships, college decisions or when they just needed someone to believe in them. Peggy was an avid supporter of St. Mary's High School sports. In years past she drove the team van for the girl's basketball team and tennis team. She took her husband, Shen along to football and basketball games as far as Williston and Fargo. And she eventually followed the Schmaltz boys as they had their football careers at the University of North Dakota. In her later years, when her health problems progressed, she and Shen would park at the end of Hughes Field and watch Coach Dan Smrekar's St. Mary's football team from beyond the stadium fence. Peggy loved her family. She and Shen had many wonderful years with their children and grandchildren. Watching tennis matches, baseball games, basketball games and hockey games. Attending dance performances, graduations, family weddings, family vacations, and everyday family get-togethers. She always made family events special and important, and every holiday was a celebration of family. She was able to be a part of the lives of Jordan, Nicholas, Kylie and Thomas which brought her great joy. She remained extremely proud of her children's accomplishments in who they became, and in their careers as physicians. Peggy had many good friends throughout the years. Colleagues that she met at work, parishioners from her church, other parents from her children's schools, government officials working toward common goals, and those that she met as she worked to enrich the lives of those around her. She felt blessed to be a part of their lives, and honored and thankful to have them in her life. She was especially grateful for the friendship of June Newman and the thoughtful care that she received from the staff at Meriter Health Care Center. Peggy was active in the North Dakota State Medical Auxillary. She served as the Coordinator for the National Highway Safety Commission for the state of North Dakota in the 1970's. She worked with the Alter Boys at Cathedral for many years helping with fundraising and education. She supported the Home on the Range Program, the University of Mary, St. Mary's Central High School, and Creighton University. She was a member of Cathedral of the Holy Spirit Catholic Church. Peggy was preceded in death by her husband of 39 years, S. J. Thakor, MD. She is survived by her family, son, Dennis Thakor of Wichita, Kansas; daughter, Sheila Thakor and her family Barbara, Rosa and Emma Burdulis, of Madison, Wisconsin; son, Michael Colleen Thakor, grandson Thomas, of Fort Collins, Colorado; daughter Lisa Mike Schmaltz, grandson Jordan, grandson Nicholas, and granddaughter, Kylie, of Madison, Wisconsin. Sister Priscilla Gary Zarr; nephew Shawn Martha Zarr and daughter Kate; neice Michelle Anthony Freemen and children Brady and Emily, all of San Antonio Texas. Brother Harold Gere Thistle, and their children Colleen, Kevin, Danny, their grandchildren and great grandchildren, all of Las Vegas, Nevada.

Margaret Thakor

January 4, 1935 - November 13, 2005