Margaret "Peggy"  Midener, passed away on Saturday, April 9, 2016 in Charlevoix.  Arrangements are pending at the Penzien Funeral Homes, Inc. in East Jordan.

Peggy Midener, of East Jordan, Michigan, died unexpectedly of a stroke on Saturday the 9th of April. She was ninety (or ninety and a half as she proudly pointed out). Born in Detroit on September 14th, 1925, Peggy was one of five daughters of Walter I McKenzie and Constance Loveday McKenzie (of the well-known Loveday family of East Jordan).

     Peggy attended Ligget school in Detroit and later majored in Art at Western College for Women in Oxford, Ohio, before enrolling as a student at The Art School of The Society of Arts and Crafts (now C.C.S. – Center For Creative Studies) in Detroit in 1946, where she studied painting. At Arts and Crafts, Peggy met, and later married the German-born sculpting instructor, Walter Midener, in 1947. They lived in Detroit but spent summers and leisure time in East Jordan, at the Loveday family home, “The Elms”, where they both developed a great love for the Jordan River and the beautiful surrounding Jordan Valley.

  Peggy and Walter were a major part of the Detroit Arts Community, as well as being Art educators (Walter eventually became president of C.C.S.) in the Detroit area before moving to East Jordan permanently in 1978.  Peggy and Walter became a respected and beloved part of the Northern Michigan Arts Community, and were active members of both the Crooked Tree Arts Council and the Jordan River Arts Council for many years.

     As well as being an incredibly gifted artist, both as a painter and later as a 3-D collage artist, Peggy was also an active civil rights campaigner in Detroit.  After moving Up North, she served for many years on the East Jordan Watershed Council (Friends of the Jordan), the Charlevoix County Planning Commission, Tip of the Mitt Watershed, the East Jordan Garden Club, and other organizations until finally retiring in her eighties.

  Peggy had a fiercely intelligent, creative and questing mind, and was a seeker of truth in all forms until the day she died. She was unstintingly generous with her time and knowledge, inspiring so many people, not only to develop their own creative skills, but to discover deeper meaning in their lives as well.

     Peggy leaves behind one daughter, Wendy Froud and son-in-law, Brian Froud, both internationally known artists; a grandson, Toby Froud, third-generation artist; Toby's wife, Sarah: and three-year-old great-grandson, Sebastian; two sisters, Dorothy Urban and Nancy Keller; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was especially close to niece and nephew-in-law Julie Urban and Roger Lilak of East Jordan and Petoskey. Peggy leaves behind many, many beloved friends in the Northern Michigan area and also in England where Wendy and Brian live.

     It is an incredibly difficult task to write about a woman who lived such a full, creative and generous life. Peggy was, perhaps above all, a gracious woman. She will be greatly missed by all of us who were touched by her spirit, courage and generosity.

    Following Peggy's wishes, there will be a memorial celebrating her life later this summer in East Jordan.

In Peggy's memory donations may be made to the Jordan River Arts Council Building Fund, PO Box 1178, East Jordan, MI 49727.

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