Mary Margaret 'Peggy' O’Sullivan, 68
On April 18, 2024, surrounded by family, friends, and her favorite music, Mary Margaret “Peggy” O’Sullivan died peacefully at home after a brave battle against ALS. She was warmly greeted by her brother, Kevin, with an ice-cold gin and tonic.
Born July 18, 1955, as the second of five children to Hazel and Michael Sullivan in Missoula, Mont., Peggy was a stranger to no one and a friend to all. Her talents at tennis showed at an early age and she was a star player throughout her life including holding every office in the Sandpoint Tennis Association. She was a member of the Sparkettes drill team and graduated from Sentinel High School (Missoula, Mont.) in 1973. Peggy wanted to spread her love for others and pursue nursing, she began her studies at the University of Montana and was a lifelong Griz fan. She continued at St. Patrick’s School of Nursing earning her nursing degree in 1978.
As a traveling nurse, she journeyed from Montana to Hawaii to Texas and finally to Idaho. In 1982 she drove across the Long Bridge to Sandpoint, fell in love with the lake, put down roots, and made it her home until her earthly departure.
She and Tom Fuqua welcomed their two greatest joys, Hailey Rebecca in 1988 and Stephanie Mikayla in 1990. She was like a mother to many friends of the girls over their lifetime, giving rides to practices, a shoulder to cry on, or a Dairy Depot burger run after picking up the girls from a night out.
If there was a soccer match, basketball game, track meet, choir concert, or opera recital within a 5,000-mile radius, she was there. She was proud as could be of Hailey and Stephanie, telling anyone within earshot of their latest project, accomplishment, or performance. Peggy once again beamed with honor as she was able to walk each of them down the aisle in June and September 2022.
Peggy had four true loves: tennis, Lake Pend Oreille, Ireland, and her daughters. Her grandfather landed in New England from County Kerry in the nineteen-teens and her family’s deep love for their home country has continued ever since. She held dual citizenship and visited her beloved homeland almost every year since 2010. Peggy, her daughters, siblings, and best friends took her on a final pilgrimage to Killarney in July 2023 to kiss Irish soil once more. The familial connection with the O’Sullivans spans generations and continues with her children. When returning to her maiden name, Peggy opted to include the dropped O’ as a nod to her heritage.
As the indisputable best nurse in Bonner County, she served and cared for the community over four decades at Bonner General Hospital and Kaniksu Community Health. She was a proud member of Teamsters Local 690.
She was diagnosed with ALS in August 2021 and continued her life as she had lived prior to the disease, capturing as many adventures, memories, and fun times as possible. “You only live once!” was her frequent mantra and led a full 68 years, always generous and selfless, caring for others above all else. She always had a song in her heart and was ready to dance. Though ALS took her voice, body, and eventually her breath, she never waived the white flag and continued to fight.
Peggy is survived by her daughters, Hailey Fuqua (Patrick Davis) and Stephanie (Fuqua) Garrett (Miles Garrett); her tennis partner turned soulmate, Jay White; her sister, Kathleen Sullivan (Len Iwanski); brother Michael Sullivan; sister Patricia Sullivan; niece Priya Sullivan; and countless beloved friends, colleagues, and family across Ireland, Montana, Idaho, and beyond.
She was preceded in death by her parents Hazel and Michael and her brother, Kevin.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to ALS Therapy Development Institute in the hope that no future families will suffer from ALS and a cure can be found (www.als.net).
Many thanks to the numerous organizations who helped to support her and her family during the past three years: Steve Gleason and Team Gleason, Gleason Institute at WSU, ALSSO, ALS Association Evergreen Chapter, St. Luke’s Physiatry Clinic, and the numerous caregivers who joined as family to ensure a peaceful journey.
A joyous celebration of life will be held in Sandpoint in August to honor her favorite things — good music, good food, good drinks, and friends along the lake.