Peggy Hougen

1924 - 2018

Margaret Hougen, beloved wife of the late Trygve Hougen, passed away in Bow Island on Friday, January 12, 2018 at the age of 94 years.

The Funeral Service was held at the Foremost United Church, 202 - 2 Avenue East, Foremost on Wednesday, January 17, 2018 at 11:00 A.M. Burial followed at the Foremost Cemetery.

Peggy is survived by her daughter Terry (Mike) Chiarizia of Cochrane and their two sons Lee Chiarizia of Halifax and Daniel Chiarizia of Calgary; daughter-in-law Linda Hougen of Foremost and her three children Gale (Darcy) Huisman of Foremost (their children Kyle, Eric and Jaiden), Mark Hougen of Foremost and Tracy (Greg) Seefried of Foremost (their children Adam and Jenna). She is also survived by her brother George (Robyn) Dowson of Lundbreck, sister-in-law Donna Dowson of Thunder Bay, Ontario and by numerous nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her husband Trygve Hougen, her son Charles Hougen; brothers Joseph Dowson, Thomas Dowson and sister-in-law Maxine Dowson.

Peggy was born in Durham, England on January 9, 1924. In 1928, Peggy and family departed from Liverpool, England bound for Canada, settling in Bellevue in the Crowsnest Pass. At the age of eighteen, she joined the war effort as a member of the Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Service in Halifax. Proud of her Naval service, Peggy spent nearly three years as a Decoder, a role essential for secure Naval Communications.

Returning to the Crowsnest Pass after the war to work at the local Bank, Peggy accepted a transfer to a Bank in Foremost. A serendipitous meeting at the Foremost train station upon arriving introduced her to her future husband, Trygve Hougen. They would marry shortly after in 1947. Peggy and Trygve remained in Foremost where they raised their two children, Charles and Terry.

During her time in Foremost, Peggy became an integral part of Foremost’s United Church; enjoying many years in the choir and assisting in its administrative functions. After years of working at the local Royal Bank, she decided to change paths and became a school secretary at the Foremost School until her retirement. Peggy greatly valued the friends she made in the Foremost community, the United congregations in both Foremost and Bow Island, as well as the Pleasant View Lodge.

The greatest joy of her life was her family, especially her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She revelled in the successes of them all, waiting to hear about their latest adventures or their next challenges. She beamed with pride when discussing any of them.

Peggy was a beloved mother, grandmother and great grandmother. She will be dearly missed by her family and many friends.