Burial Date December 15, 2013
Obituaries » MARGARET FRANZEN
FRANZEN, MARGARET “PEG” HURLEY, of Montpelier, completed her life journey at her home, surrounded by family and friends on November 9. She was born in Boston Sept. 25, 1939, the daughter of James Walter Hurley and Margaret F. Mulhern. Peg received her bachelor’s degree from Emmanuel College, Boston, in 1961 and her master’s degree from Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., in 1965. She completed a program of feminist liberation theology at the Women’s Theological Center (Episcopal Divinity School) in Boston, 1985-1986. Peg moved from Washington, D.C., to Essex Junction, in 1970 and then to Montpelier in 1993. She was a devoted spouse, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin and friend. Peggy is survived by her spouse, Joyce Werntgen, ex-husband Herbert Franzen, daughter Lisa, son Matthew, son Michael and wife, Kerry, two grandchildren, one great-grandson, three step-grandchildren, stepsons Kurt, Neal and Eric Werntgen and their families, and her brother, Robert Hurley, and his family. She was predeceased by her son Robert in 1989. Peg was a lifelong advocate and activist for the rights of people with disabilities (founding member of the VT Center for Independent Living), workers’ rights and universal health care (former president of the VT Workers’ Center), and advocate for social, economic and political equality for the disenfranchised. Peg was someone who genuinely cared about people and, when she first met you, wanted to know where you were from, what you liked to do, and what your interests were. When you responded to her questions about yourself, she really listened, and asked more questions and you wondered why she was so curious. She wanted to make you feel at ease and comfortable and, by the time the conversation ended, you both knew a little more about each other. She had a gentle, loving sense of humor and twinkle in her eyes. Before long, you would have a new friend and you might even be interested in joining her in changing the world … one person at a time. Peg was very proud of her Hurley/Irish heritage and Boston roots, and was an avid Red Sox, Patriots and Celtics fan. She loved the outdoors and was happiest running, walking, hiking, biking or taking photos in the beautiful Vermont landscape. A celebration of her life is planned for Dec. 15, 2013, at 1pm at the Old Labor Hall in Barre.
