Peggy (Margaret) Rose Traver

MONONA - Peggy (Margaret) Rose Traver, 77, was born on Leap Day, February 29, 1948, (she loved her birthday!) in La Crosse, Wisconsin to Ken and Eleanor Zurn. She grew up on the banks of the Mississippi River and enjoyed many boating and camping trips. She graduated from La Crosse Central High School in 1966 and La Crosse State University in 1970. She met her husband, Jon, while student teaching with Jon’s sister in Wisconsin Dells. They married one year to the day later, and they took up residence in Monona, Wisconsin for the next 54 years. There they raised their children, Rachel and Shawna.

Peggy taught for three years in the Madison School District and then “retired” to raise her children. She became the consummate Mom through scouts, church and providing transportation or shelter for whatever kid/kid’s friends needed. She often said teaching was her vocation, but nature was her avocation. She combined both when she taught herself about the native flora and fauna of Wisconsin and became a naturalist at the Aldo Leopold Nature Center in Monona teaching young minds about the joys of nature.

In 1993, Peggy started the successful effort to preserve from development the 50 acres where the nature center and the Monona Woodland Park now sit. She and Jon spent the next 30 years restoring those areas to native Wisconsin oak savanna, oak forest and prairie habitat, in addition to their 75 acres of sanctuary at their cabin in Iowa County, Wisconsin.

She is survived by her husband, Jon, and daughters, Rachel and Shawna (Matt) and grandchildren, Alexis, Flora, Will and Theo. She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, David. She will be buried in the Wyoming Valley Cemetery in Iowa County along with three generations of her relatives. A celebration of her life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Aldo Leopold Nature Center, 330 Femrite Drive, Monona, WI 53716.

The family would like to thank Nicole Craft (and Leo!), our first caregiver, Tanya Sutton of Senior Helpers and her caregivers for the care they gave Peggy during her illness, Agrace Hospice for their care during Peggy’s last days, and the University of Wisconsin Brain Donation Program who facilitated the donation of Peggy’s brain to the Harvard University Brain Bank for research on Corticobasal Degeneration (CBD), Peggy’s rare disease.

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