Peggy L. Ishmael, 94, of Paoli, Wis. passed away peacefully on May 21, 2025. Born on October 2, 1930 in Madison, Wis. she was the daughter of Erle and Margaret (Townley) Smith. Peggy was a 1948 graduate of West High School where she met William (Bill) O. Ishmael. They were married on September 17, 1948 in Madison and were married for 55 years until Bill passed away in 2003. She received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Wisconsin – Madison in 1952.
Peggy and Bill raised six children and taught them the joys of the outdoors through many summer camping trips and winter downhill skiing trips. She loved the Rocky Mountains and made many sacrifices to get the family out west or into the campgrounds or onto the ski slopes of Wisconsin as often as possible.
Her love of downhill skiing and the outdoors lead to a career, starting in 1971, at Petrie’s Sporting Goods in Madison where her outgoing personality earned her the nickname “Mrs. Fullcharge”. Peggy made lifelong friendships with her co-workers as well as many customers. She played on the Petrie’s Softball Team for 25 years. After Petrie’s Sporting Goods closed she was hired by Chalet Ski and Patio in 1983 where she worked for 21 years until her retirement in 2004. Through the years she continued to make trips to Colorado and Montana each winter to ski with her family and many friends.
Peggy took up bicycling and jogging in the 1980’s and soon began training to run in marathons. She ran the New York Marathon for the first time in 1988 at the age of 58 and the second time in 1990 a month after celebrating her 60th birthday.
Peggy encouraged all of her children and grand children to participate in sports and attended all of their sporting events. She was an avid UW Badgers sports fan and attended UW hockey, football and women’s track and volleyball events as often as possible, especially to watch her daughter Katie run on the UW Women’s Cross Country and Track Teams and her Grandson, Jack Skille, play for the UW Men’s Hockey Team.
Her warm spirit and generosity touched the lives of many people in the greater Madison area and resulted in many long-lasting friendships. Peggy made Madison feel like a small hometown.
As Peggy said a few years ago: “I thank you for my wonderful life. And truthfully I want to go on for many, many more years simply because I don’t want to miss a thing!”
Peggy is survived by her six children: Sara (Dan) Roberts, Bill (Julie), Gary, Carrie (Lee) Skille, Jane Becker and Katie, 9 grandchildren, 11 great-grand children, beloved sister, Sally Messner, and uncountable nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband Bill, her parents Erle and Margaret Smith, son-in-law Jeffrey Becker and brother-in-law Gary Messner.
A private mass will be held at the St. Williams Catholic Church in Paoli, Wis. followed by burial at the St. Williams Cemetery. An open-house celebration of Peggy’s life will be held at a later date.
Her family wants to extend their heartfelt thank yous to the awesome staff at Beehive Memory Care Facility in Oregon, Wis. and to the many kind and caring staff at Agrace, especially Stephanie.
In lieu of flowers the family asks that you please consider making memorials to Agrace.org/Donate and UW Women’s Athletics, Women's Sports Scholarship Fund – 132131381 through the UW Foundation at supportuw.org/giveto/tribute.
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