Margaret Ann Mcdonald

Margaret Ann McDonald

Rev. Peggy McDonald, M.Div., 61, died on August 25, 2017. She was born December 7, 1955 in Aurora, Illinois. She attended school in Aurora, graduated from Oswego High School, and received a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Illinois, Urbana. Peggy married Mark Zwoyer June 9, 1979, and they moved to Indianapolis. She graduated from Christian Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity.

She is survived by her husband, Mark Zwoyer, daughter, Elizabeth McDonald-Zwoyer, two sisters, Priscilla Brouillette of Farmington Hills, Michigan and Rebecca Preston of LaGrange Park, Illinois, a brother Philip McDonald and mother Edith McDonald of Oswego, Illinois, nieces Ellen Preston, Catherine McKnight, Ann Marie Brouillette, and nephews Andrew Preston and Luke Anderson. She was preceded in death by two sons, Joel in 1986 and Charles in 2008, and her father, Philip, in 1976.

Peggy was ordained January 22, 1995 and served Faith Presbyterian Church as an associate pastor. After that call, she continued preaching, leading workshops and serving Central Indiana churches including Hope Plainfield, White Lick and Crawfordsville. For Whitewater Valley Presbytery, she was currently Mission Connector. In one of her ongoing projects she helped three churches support a Syrian refugee family. Previously she helped resettle two Laotian refugee families in the late 1970s, and two Bosnian refugee families in the 1990s. She served on the staff of the Synod of Lincoln Trails and was currently leading New Pastor Groups.

She counseled, she organized, she championed, and she loved. Her son Joel’s death led her to join the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) regional support group, and she became president. She also joined the board and became president of Prevent Child Abuse of Indiana. She was currently president of Wings for West Africa, an organization that sends refurbished computers to schools in West Africa that would not otherwise have computer labs.

Peggy was a gardener and was instrumental in creating the First-Meridian Heights Presbyterian Church community garden. This garden supports the Northwood food pantry with fresh produce throughout much of the year.

She loved to camp, loved to canoe, and loved to travel. Peggy was an active citizen, good neighbor, loyal friend, gracious hostess, fabulous cook, favorite aunt, and beloved wife!

The celebration of life for Peggy will be held Saturday, September 2 at 11:00 a.m. EDT at First-Meridian Heights Presbyterian Church, 4701 Central Avenue, Indianapolis. There will be a visitation reception following the service. Memorial donations can be made to the following organizations: Happy Hollow Children’s Camp, Presbyterian Hunger Fund, and Synod of Lincoln Trails.