Margaret L. “Peggy” Clarke, 75, of Littlestown, passed away Saturday, June 20, 2026, at The Brethren Home Community, New Oxford. She was the loving wife of Jeffrey H. Clarke, Littlestown; together they shared 50 years of marriage.
Born July 28, 1950, in Philadelphia, PA. She was the daughter of the late Robert and Jane (Law) Lawler.
Peggy attended Catholic school through high school and was crowned May Queen. She graduated from Millersville University, where she was an original member of the Rho Lambda Phi service sorority. Peggy was a lifelong Girl Scout, even traveling to Switzerland through scouts and eventually becoming a leader for Cindy’s troops. She made her career as an elementary school teacher in Canton, PA, for 36 years. Peggy spent a lot of time camping and traveling with family and friends throughout her lifetime. She enjoyed precious time with family & friends at “Big Pond”, LBI, and Wildwood, NJ, and at reunions with cousins and picnics with close college friends. She also enjoyed hosting friends and family for gatherings in their home, whether it was making apple butter or making a feast for Easter or Thanksgiving, she was always finding a reason to enjoy the company of others.
After retirement, a move was in order to Littlestown, PA, where she started her second career as Nana. She attended Bart’s Centenary United Methodist Church, Littlestown, where she was a member of the United Women in Faith (whom she coined as “The Sisterhood”). In addition to volunteering with her church, she also volunteered with New Hope Ministries and Blessings in a Backpack. Peggy enjoyed embroidery, quilting, crocheting, and baking, often making homemade items for others to enjoy. She made countless kids’ quilts for the East Canton Quilters, long after she had moved. And she made and donated crocheted and quilted prayer shawls to the church. Peggy and Jeff took many bus trips with close friends to explore new areas of the US, and she attended Cedar Lakes, WV, camp to learn new hobbies with her beloved college crew. She especially enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren, attending their sporting and school events, and teaching them useful skills such as sewing and baking. She embraced being their Nana and was notorious for having fun sleepovers, reading them lots of books, and sending them on wild scavenger hunts to find their gifts hidden in the home.
In addition to her husband, she is survived by her daughter, Cindy DeFrancesco and husband David, Middletown, MD; sister, Patricia Lawler and companion Bryan Fay, Bradford, VT; brother, David Lawler and wife Alice, Doylestown, PA; grandchildren David and Stella DeFrancesco and grand dogs Ruby and Libby.
She was preceded in death by her brother, Robert “Bob” Lawler.
A funeral service will be held Thursday, June 25, 2026, at Little’s Funeral Home, 34 Maple Ave., Littlestown, with Pastor Judi Hulslander officiating. The family will receive friends and share memories on Thursday from 10 AM until the start of the service at the funeral home. A luncheon will be provided at Bart’s Centenary United Methodist Church, 50 E. King Street, Littlestown, following a brief private family burial at Mount Carmel Cemetery, Littlestown. The funeral home and church are adjacent; guests may walk to the church following the service.
Guests are kindly asked to wear their favorite shade of blue.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of Margaret L. “Peggy” Clarke may be made to Inova Children’s Hospital, to a special fund “Remembering our Nana” https://join.inova.org/p2p/inovachildlife/, or to New Hope Ministries, 135 Baltimore St., Hanover, PA 17331
To share memories of Margaret L. “Peggy” Clarke and to view a video tribute, please visit www.littlesfh.com.