Margaret James

Peggy was born in Mt Clemens, Michigan on March 31, 1961. Her family soon moved to Memphis, Michigan where they lived on 12 beautiful acres on the Belle River. Raised by parents who were both educators, Peggy developed innate listening and communication skills. Peggy was loved in high school and her future as a social worker started in the halls of Memphis High School where she was everyone’s Ann Landers, lending a listening ear and a warm heart.

As a sister, Peggy was known as the peace maker. When inevitable sister disputes broke out, she had the ability to diffuse the situation and calm everybody down. She was the protector of her baby sister, Annie. Peggy would scratch her back and count the freckles on her face, teaching her to appreciate her unique-ness as what makes her beautiful. Another sister described Peggy as her “hippie-loving-save-the-world sister.” Peggy was born to help others. She graduated high school early and went on to get a higher education at Central Michigan University in social work. Her ventures in social work led her to taking one of her first jobs at a juvenile detention center. It was here that she met her soul mate, Kevin, as he was working his way up in the world to eventually become an educator.

Peggy and Kevin are an example of what “true love” looks like. Two kindred souls with kind hearts and an inherent ability to love openly. What interested Peggy in Kevin, you ask? She noticed young Kevin was reading a book about love. As Kevin says, “She just thought that was pretty cool.” Even after 41 years of marriage, on any given day, they could be found cuddling in a hammock, canoodling on the couch, slow dancing to Purple Rain, holding hands on a walk down the road, and showing affection at any opportunity. We should all be so lucky to find a love like that. Peggy and Kevin recently both retired and started taking opportunities for adventure. They moved into their dream home on Long Lake, a home their family actually lived in and loved when the kids were adolescents. Life brought them back home. They became avid RV travelers, having fun all over the country – often accompanied by Peggy’s sisters and their husbands. Peggy was diagnosed in ALS in June of this year. What was Peggy and Kevin’s response to this Earth-shattering news? Take an RV trip through The Badlands, Yellowstone, and ride their moped through God’s Country. True soul mates.

Perhaps the most understated accomplishment made by this woman was the founding of ACES Academy in Alpena. Peggy wanted nothing more than to help young people believe in themselves, to understand what they are capable of. Peggy could see the potential in the kids that everyone else may have given up on. She went to the superintendent with a proposal to start an alternative education program. She found the building, created the budget, hired the teachers, and enrolled the students. ACES Academy has since been an important resource in the community to help young people succeed in a new educational setting when traditional schooling did not work. In doing so, she changed the trajectory of hundreds, if not thousands, of young peoples’ lives.

Peggy had a mind for business and community. Peggy played a major role in the founding of many local businesses including Cabin Creek Coffee, The Local Basket Case, Sweet Baby James, True North Threads, amongst other past ventures. From flipping houses to founding businesses, Peggy could turn anything into a beautiful, successful creation that felt like home.

Beyond these accomplishments, however, none of them meant as much to Peggy as her family. The love that she fostered with her husband, Kevin, was tremendous. She remained extremely close with all of her sisters, seeming more like best friends. They forever maintained the mantra, “Sister Strong.” Peggy and Kevin created a tight-knit family with innumerable traditions. They were the parents you could go to when you thought nobody else would accept you for your shortcomings. She would always say, “Everyone has a story.” She thought you should learn more about the people you don’t understand instead of judging them. The world is a better place because Peggy was a part of it.

As a mother, she was warm and affectionate. She helped her children work through life issues by asking the tough questions that no one else would ask, but were needed to actually get through something. She gave the best advice and the most grounding pep talks. As a grandmother, Peggy was adventurous and incredibly fun. Peggy was the grandma that would sneak grandkids sugar packets, chocolate covered ice cream cones, and Coca-Cola. Peggy and Kevin did not shy away from taking a pack of kids, aged 3-9, on a trip in an RV and have them all come back and spend the night. All of the grandkids, once they reached a suitable age, have had the pleasure of going on a personalized adventure that was all about them. They’ve taken grandkids to Washington DC, Dollywood, Florida, shopping sprees to Sephora, and so much more. The love that can be felt, when in the presence of this family, is enormous. Peggy should be proud of the precedent she set for the importance of love and family, a precedent that has set the foundation that will hold this family together despite this seemingly insurmountable loss. The James family cannot be broken, and by holding onto one another, we will honor her memory.

Memorial visitation will take place Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025, at Bannan Funeral Home from noon until the memorial service at 3 p.m. with David James officiating.

Memorials: Hospice of Michigan or Peggy James Memorial Scholarship at Alpena Community College