Peggy Ames Sommers, 92, of Fort Lee, NJ, died peacefully on Saturday evening, February 17, 2024, surrounded by her loving family.

Peggy was born October 26, 1931, in New York City and raised, along with her twin brother Bob, her beloved older brother Alan, and their treasured family dogs Teddy and Suzy-Q, just off the Grand Concourse on Carroll Place in the Bronx. She graduated from Taft High School, then attended Hofstra College on Long Island, where she earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in education in 1953 and 1954, respectively.

Her first teaching job was on Long Island, where she taught both special education and elementary school. Eventually, after starting her family and moving to Yonkers, NY, she taught in the Yonkers public school system for 36 years before retiring in 1996. She was an original member of the Yonkers Federation of Teachers.

Peggy met her husband, Stanley Sommers, when she hurriedly filled in for a friend on a blind date in 1953 at the Old Homestead restaurant in Manhattan. Stanley, also a son of the Bronx and a young club singer, won over Peggy's heart and also her father Herman's approval, and they were married in July 1955.

Peggy and Stanley had two sons, Hal (1958) and Josh (1960), before moving to Yonkers in 1960. Peggy continued to teach in Yonkers after the family relocated to Fort Lee, NJ, in 1966. Stanley founded and was the president of a custom workroom and factory manufacturing window treatments and bedspreads until his untimely death in 1989.

In New Jersey, Peggy and her family were founding members of Montammy golf club, where she became part of the community and loved to golf and socialize with a wide group of friends. Many of those friends stayed together with her for life. A lifelong animal lover, Peggy had a series of wonderful cats in adulthood. She was a lifelong learner with wide interests, always taking new classes in a variety of subjects.

Peggy was married for 34 years and, ironically, lived another 34 years after her husband's passing. During this latter period, Peggy traveled to many places around the world, including Paris, London, Italy, Spain, Turkey, China, Israel, Alaska, and more. She had a wonderful and devoted group of friends, many of whom traveled and socialized together, and Peggy loved dining out, playing bridge, talking on the phone, and doting on her family. She also loved attending theatre, ballet, and opera performances in New York City.

Peggy was a kind, generous soul and was known as the "mitzvah queen" among her close friends. Some of those truly treasured friends included Sandy and Sid Herbstman, Rosemarie Naimo and cousin Anita Clough, Joan Carotenuto and extended family, including Mary Ann Carotenuto and Mary St. John, bridge buddies Edythe Van Dyck and Marilyn Saposh, Yonkers colleague Natalie Motola, and rediscovered childhood friends Micki Mele and Iris Fleming. In this way, Peggy was truly blessed.

Peggy had two granddaughters who were the lights of her life. After Sarah and Isabelle were born to Josh and wife Michele Ortlip, "Nonny" loved to travel with them and spend holidays at their home on Martha's Vineyard. They traveled as a family to Disney World, New England, California, on cruises to Canada and the Bahamas, and more. She spent every Hanukkah and Christmas with her granddaughters right up through the current season. She became a much loved member of the extended Ortlip family.

Peggy also loved her wide in-law family on Hal and wife Theresa Witte's side, becoming a fixture at family holidays and events. They loved to eat out together regularly and enjoyed almost every Thanksgiving with the extended Witte family. Eventually, Peggy shared elder sisterhood status with Theresa's Aunt Hilda, and they developed a close friendship.

Peggy is survived by her children, Hal (Theresa Witte) and Josh (Michele Ortlip), her granddaughters, Sarah and Isabelle Ortlip-Sommers, and her treasured nieces and nephews, Howard Ames (Jennifer), Michael Ames (Teresa), Peter Ames (Colleen), Cathy Tuccillo, and Debbie Lowe. She is preceded in death by her husband Stanley Sommers, her beloved parents Herman and Esther Ames, her two brothers Bob and Alan, and her wonderful sister-in-law Laurie Ames.

Graveside Service:

Tuesday, February 20, at 1:00pm

King Solomon Memorial Park

550 Dwasline Road

Clifton, NJ 07012

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Peggy's name to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.

https://giving.mskcc.org/

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