Margaret A. Horne

Margaret A. Horne, age 91 of Wayne, passed away peacefully at home on Thursday, March 3, 2022, while in the loving company of family.

Margaret, known mostly as “Peggy” and “Peg O’ My Heart” was the youngest of Thomas and Mary (Henshall) Dowd’s five children.  She was born and raised in Paterson where her father owned several silk mills during the heydays of life in Paterson.  Growing up in a family that humbly acknowledged the importance of God in their lives, they lived by their faith.  She was a graduate of Benedictine Academy in Paterson.

One day when Peggy was just fifteen years old, the family experienced some mechanical issues with their refrigerator which necessitated a call to the local appliance repairman. The mechanic who showed up was pretty young too but all that Peggy noticed was that he was very handsome and charming!  She quickly made it her business to learn that his name was Robert Horne.  The initial attraction must have been mutual and he and Peggy actually did end up going on a date to a place called The Barn in Wyckoff.  That first date led to a beautiful relationship taking root, ultimately leading to their marriage on Saturday, September 10, 1949 at a church in Paterson. After the wedding reception, the newlyweds honeymooned in Niagara Falls, NY and then settled into their first home together on Schuyler Ave. in Pompton Lakes.  Peggy was just 18 years old when she married Bob and soon after, the blessing of children began. First they welcomed their son Thomas who was followed by the surprise of twin girls Robin and Susan.  In 1959 they moved into a brand new home which they built on the lake in the Pines Lake section of Wayne. Soon after, Peggy and Bob received another unexpected surprise when they found out that Peggy was expecting again!  Nine months later, they welcomed their fourth child, another baby girl which they named Lisa who would ultimately become known as Dede.

Peggy embraced her role as a loving and nurturing mom and homemaker.  When they were little girls, she supported her daughters as a Brownie leader and she was always present for all of her kids sporting, dance and theater events.  She delighted in celebrating their birthdays by making them whatever they wanted to eat.  Peggy was an outstanding cook who made so many great dishes.  Peggy always made the house a warm, welcoming and safe place to come home to.  The creative side of her inspired a love for interior decorating which was further inspired by her own mother’s elegant taste.  In 1963, she and Bob purchased a beachfront summer home located in Surf City on Long Beach Island.  It was a beautiful home built in the 1930’s and is listed on the New Jersey Register of Historic Homes.  It was a special summer gathering place made only more special by Peggy’s outstanding interior decorating skills.  With four kids and her husband Bob’s penchant for always inviting guests, it seemed that Peggy was always making beds and cooking meals.  The family spent the whole month of August at the shore house and Peggy and Bob even purchased Joe’s Clam Bar, a seasonal restaurant which was run by their children.

Sadly, in 1982, Bob passed away unexpectedly.  Peggy moved year round to the home in Surf City and in 1985 she sold that home and built a beautiful Victorian style home on the empty lot next door.  That same year, Peggy and a business partner opened a gift shop called “In a Nutshell” in Harvey Cedars. They eventually moved the business to Surf City.  In her spare time, Peggy enjoyed reading mysteries, romance and historical novels.  Daisy, her beloved English Setter, was always by her side.

Above all else, Peggy’s greatest devotion was to her family and to her faith in God.  To her, family and faith went hand-in-hand.  The teachings of Jesus’ love, which were taught to her as a little girl by her own father who was a gentle, spiritual man, inspired her faith in God which she shared with her own family and those she met along life’s pathway.  Throughout her life and depending on where she was living at the time, she was a faithful parishioner of St. Mary’s Church in Pompton Lakes and St. Thomas Church in Surf City.  For years she also enjoyed attending a bible study in Pines Lake with her daughter Dede.

Peggy was a loving, kind, compassionate, funny and generous woman who touched the lives of everyone who had the privilege of knowing her.

Peggy was the beloved wife of Robert, blessed in marriage for 33 years until his passing in 1982.  She was the loving mother of the late Thomas Horne who predeceased her in 1992, Robin Reed of Wayne, Susan Granzen and husband Mark of Glenwood, NJ, and Lisa “DeDe” Fantau and husband David of Wayne, cherished grandmother of Katherine and husband Daniel, Kelly, Robert and wife Alison, Matthew, and Christian, and adoring great-grandmother to Genevieve Margaret, named after both of her great-grandmothers.  Peggy was also predeceased by all of her siblings including her brothers George, David, James and her sister Helen Dowd.

Those planning an expression of sympathy in Margaret’s name are asked to consider St. Mary’s RC Church in Pompton Lakes, NJ.