Margaret Jayne “Peggy” Meloche Bronowski was born in Spokane, Washington on September 29, 1942, to Leonard Meloche and Margaret “Peggy” Brady Meloche. She was raised in a Roman Catholic home and attended Holy Ghost and Saint Anthony Schools and North Central High School, all in Spokane. Peggy’s first job was the same as her daughter’s would be decades later, working and serving food at an A&W restaurant. At the age of 17, Peggy was nominated as a Spokane Lilac Princess, which is no surprise, as she was a very attractive young lady and had her heart set like many others of her era on the larger-than-life Elvis Presley. However, she had already caught the eye of the one true love of her life, Stanley Herman Bronowski. Their love affair started in high school, ended its earthly course after over 52 years of marriage upon Stan’s death in 2015, and continues now even richer and fuller as they share Eternity together with their Maker. Peggy is preceded in death by husband Stan, parents Leonard and Peggy, younger brother Jimmy, brothers-in-law John (Carolyn) Bronowski and Ed Bronowski, nephew Bryan, daughter-in-law Debbie, granddaughters Shanna Ann and Raquelle Jewelle, and grandson-in-law Ryan.
Peggy and Stan shoved off from Spokane quite literally soon after their marriage as Stan embarked on a time of military service in the U.S. Navy both at home and abroad to the waters around war-torn Vietnam. Peggy loved their time in San Francisco, and although remaining a stalwart Buffalo Bills fan to the very end, she always cheered for Stan’s team acquired during that era, the 49ers. Their three children, Steven Blain, Robert Michael, and Tammy Mae were all born during these early years of the marriage, only to return to Spokane to grow up close to their grandparents and cousins, returning to settle in a newly developing neighborhood on the far south side of the Spokane Valley, now just blocks from the current location of University High School.
Peggy lived in that home on Virginia Street for the next 48 years, raising her children, working full-time as a housekeeper at the Valley General Hospital until retirement in her sixties, and welcoming into her life and home grandchildren Steven Edwin, Ryan Robert, McKayla Raschelle (James), Austin Blain (Desiree), Remington Joseph, Rebekah Jayne, and great-grandchildren Shannon Mary Mae, Jeremy Albert, Annarose Setiva, Avita Reign, and Mason Blain. All the grands remember with great fondness the trees in the yard for climbing, the pinball machine in the basement, “little piggies” with over easy eggs and white toast, and the days fishing at Fishtrap Lake and the nights camping in Grandma and Grandpa’s 1980 Dodge Beaver camper. Peggy loved when Stan sang “Peggy Sue” and “Long, Black Train,” loved to fish, loved to entertain her friends and her children’s friends, loved her grandchildren, loved the NFL, and, I quote, “I sure do love my breakfast!”
Peggy supported Stan for years and years by attending his gigs, playing guitar and singing country western and rock and roll music professionally on weekends all around the Spokane region and into Idaho. In later years, some of those close friendships drew Stan to a small, vibrant, old-style Gospel church off of Trent led by Pastor Iris VanDorn, and to saving faith in Jesus Christ at 70 years of age. Peggy began coming to worship services to listen to Stan and the “Range Rovers,” and shortly after Stan’s death she too became a born-again Christian, personally committing her life to Christ at the age of 72.
Peggy lived well in the decade following Stan’s death, drawing strength from her family, her church family, old friends, her oldest son Steven who moved in and helped with chores and driving, frequent visits from her youngest son Bob, long-distance visits from her daughter Tammy and Ray, visits from grandchildren Steven, Ryan, McKayla, Austin, Remington, Rebekah, and the great-grandbabies, and eventually from new friends at her apartment complex once the house became too much. Tammy and Rebekah devoted nine weeks to helping Peggy sell the house and get settled into her beautiful apartment God provided to her against all odds in the current housing market. And again, three years later with her eyesight failing, Peggy called her daughter to come and get her and bring her to Wisconsin for what no one would have known would be her final seven months. She insisted on making a road-trip with Tammy and Rebekah in December all the way to New Jersey to see her son-in-law Raymond and then back to Wisconsin before settling in with them just eleven blocks from Remington.
Peggy’s vivaciousness quickly grew her new friends in the neighborhood, at the Senior Center where Tammy took her three times a week for bingo, and at the Tomah Bible Evangelical Free Church, where she insisted she wanted “to go on Sundays with RJ to his church” more than her short time would allow her to do.
Sadly, Peggy began to feel the effects of an unknown physical enemy which the doctors quickly revealed to be cancer. What was supposed to be a simple surgery and one night’s stay in Mayo Hospital in Rochester evolved into a 70-plus day battle for life. Multiple complications led finally to Peggy’s transfer back home on hospice to Tomah, Wisconsin on Monday, July 15, 2024. Just four and a half days later, early in the morning on Saturday, July 20, 2024, with her loved ones by her side and while Pastor Neil Nelson prayed, Peggy made the journey across the surging waters that draw all of us from this world into Eternity. She left this temporal home and was welcomed through the gates of Heaven by her Savior, Jesus Christ at 1:12am Central Time. Peggy is survived by her sons Steve and Bob and daughter Tammy, older brothers Lee Mike (Nancy) Meloche, Dave (Elaine) Meloche, sisters-in-law Sylvia Meloche and Eva (Kent) Koeller, brothers-in-law Tim (Nancy) Bronowski, Ted (Mary Beth) Bronowski, and Tony (Cyndie) Bronowski, and many nieces, nephews, and grands. Her generous nature, spaghetti dinners, hospitality, profuse application of lipstick, expertise in Yatzhee and Pinochle will be greatly missed.
A Celebration of Peggy’s life is being planned by her family for a future date in Spokane, Washington, where she will be laid to rest beside her husband, Stan. The Torkelson Funeral Home of Tomah is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolences may be offered at www.torkelsonfuneralhome.com.
The Torkelson Funeral Home
