Two years ago today, we said goodbye to our mother, Peggy. The service was beautiful, with friends and family participating in the Catholic funeral rites through readings, presenting the gifts and serving as Mom’s pallbearers.

As Mom’s good friend Maryann said, “the Church isn’t this full on Christmas Eve!” The hundreds of people joining us to bid our mother goodbye is just one example of Peggy’s broad reach and impact on their lives.

Since we lost Mom, so many people have come forward to share their own memories and reflections on the woman she was, the impact she had on their lives and the lives of her students. Here are some we’ve found particularly touching:

Peggy was my childhood friend and a friend to the end. I used to play with her when we were just kids and hung out with her as teenagers. We always ran into each other in Bergen Beach. The last time I saw her, she showed me pictures of her beautiful children and said she was going to teach. I was so proud of her! She was a lovely, warm and loving person. – Jean

Today is 2 years since I lost my sister and best friend. It seems like yesterday and forever. Every family has a force to be reckoned with; she was ours. Every family has a moral compass, and she was ours. She was my rock and my anchor, not only for me but for my children, too. We miss her terribly. – Helen

If Peggy thought you were crazy, she’d tell you. – Cindy

Peggy’s dedication as a teacher could be seen every day on the faces of every child who followed her every word. She made sure they loved learning. She made learning fun. She passed her love onto each child so that their experience in Kindergarten would be the best start of their education. Peggy succeeded beyond her expectations and that’s what makes a master teacher. – Maryann

While nothing can ever bring Mom back, the work we do in her honor and the warmth of friends and family help keep her alive as a force for positive action against C. diff.