Margaret Martin “Peggy” Houck
Margaret Martin “Peggy” Houck, 93, of Presque Isle went home December 15, 2017.
She was born November 15, 1924 to Harry Shenton and Kahtheena (Austin) Martin in Ann Arbor.
Educated at Miami University, she later pursued a master’s/doctorate program in history at Eastern University where she was asked to teach. Later as a technical writer/manager she pursued courses at Hartford Graduate School, Hartford, Connecticut, the Rochester Institute of Technology, Rochester, New York, the University of Texas, Austin, Texas and the University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.
Peggy married Thomas H. Scanlon December 9, 1944 at Ft. Monmouth, New Jersey. He preceded her in death in 2002. When their children were grown Tom sold his two real estate businesses and pursued commercial appraising so Peggy could follow her dreams and he could work beside her. She pursued a career as a history professor but was lured to the field of technical communication and project management for computer software programs. Her manuals won awards at several conventions for the Society of Technical Communication. She wrote professionally for Northern Telecom in Ann Arbor, Paradyn (AT&T) in Largo, Florida, Texas Instruments in Austin, Texas (they built a home in Dripping Springs, Texas), and Johnson City, Tennessee, Horiba Instruments, Ann Arbor, and Unisys in Plymouth. She also spent time in Dallas when writing artificial intelligence manuals.
In retirement she and Tom travelled extensively to all 50 states and enjoyed numerous overseas adventures. He preceded her in death 2002 when they lived in the Irish Hills. In Ann Arbor, she volunteered teaching English to foreign students attending the University of Michigan and their wives. In retirement, she chose the tranquility of Presque Isle with its lakes, woods, wild animals and friendly faces. Here she met and married Donald W. Houck in 2005 who preceded her in death 2006. In Presque Isle she was a greeter at the new ligh
Surviving are children Martin T. Scanlon of Santa Cruz, California, Laurel A. (Ray) Cook of Presque Isle, and T. Shawn Scanlon of Novi; grandchildren, Theodoric (Marie), Melissa (John), Megan (Mike), Michael, Rachel and Sara; great-grandchildren, Alan, Mya and Luca Thomas Scanlon; brother, Thomas H. Martin; nephew, Gordon (Rhonda) Martin; nieces, Nancy (Tom) Klug and Kimberly (Mark) Ewing; aunt, Carolyn Austin; and many loving cousins.
She has chosen to be cremated with no public funeral. Later the family will be honoring her with a celebration of life, and would like to request that her friends and family pass on an act of kindness in her honor. Arrangements in care of the Beck Funeral Home. Online condolences may be addressed through www.beckfuneralhome.org.