Margaret (Peggy) Williams Doole was born on December 17th, 1934 in Alliance, Nebraska to Donald E. Williams and Margaret R. Williams. Peg was a lifelong learner as valedictorian of her high school class and as an alumna from Wellesley College, University of Colorado, Stanford University and Rutgers University. She held master’s degrees in English and Art History with her greatest educational love being Art History. She was an extremely dedicated and thoughtful note writer to her family and friends and an avid reader throughout her life. Peg took copious notes on everything she read from travel to art to history to healthy habits. Married to Air Force pilot and Colonel Bill Doole for 60 years, Peg was a middle and high school teacher in Nebraska, Montana and California and later taught students through her docent tours in Oklahoma and at the National Gallery of Art. She also organized and taught art history courses with her German American Women’s group in Ramstein, Germany, and later registered active duty military for college as a local college registrar. Peg loved to travel and led the family on numerous adventures, especially throughout Europe during three years overseas. As an avid art historian, and in order to support her hometown, Peg arranged for the acclaimed Rembrandt and Durer prints exhibit to be displayed at the Carnegie Arts Center in 2006. The show is still mentioned as an example of the good things that come to Alliance.
Peg was always a leader in any community she entered with great adaptive skills applied to the lifestyle of military culture. She always said, “At a party, look for the person standing alone and go talk to him or her. They need a friend.” Peg made sure friends, family and acquaintances felt heard. She was a wonderful listener and thought about others, particularly her family before herself. She is survived by her husband, Bill, children, Bruce and wife Susy, Mary and husband Sid, grandchildren, Jordan, Sidney and Meg, Peg’s sister, Edwyna and husband Phil, nephews, Tim and Ben. She often said, “I have had a wonderful life and couldn’t ask for anything more.” Peg made the most of every place she lived, leading tours, organizing neighborhood PEO and AAUW events, or advancing her education. She will be dearly missed in this world by her family and her friends, as she touched the hearts of so many people with love and grace.
