Early Friday Morning on the 24th of February, with her loving family by her side, Margaret Ann "Peg" Roche Frase of Mystic, Connecticut accepted the Lord's invitation into eternal peace.
Peg was born on November 21, 1940 to Dorothy Mary and Thomas Francis Roche of Brookline Massachusetts. As a child, Peg was known to rescue so many stray dogs and cats that her siblings never knew what they would find in her bed from one morning to the next. Peg graduated from Brookline High School and went on to earn a degree from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design.
For several years, she taught art to high school students in western Massachusetts. As a young adult, Peg was a strong advocate of human rights and equality causes well ahead of her time. She married briefly and had two sons: Peter and Mark. Later, she met Theodore (Ted) Frase - a Chief Petty Officer stationed in South Carolina - and fell in love. Together they followed his Naval assignments around the country until they ended up in New London Connecticut where Ted retired.
Then, Peg began her second career as a social worker in the town of Groton, Connecticut. Even after her own retirement, she volunteered her time and talents generously, focusing on opening the Groton Animal Shelter and assisting and promoting fund-raising events.
Peg leaves behind her husband Ted, her two sons Peter MacMillan and Mark MacMillan, and five grandchildren: Joseph, Rylee, and Braeden, and Kaitlyn and Andrew. She also leaves behind her brother Thomas Roche (of Stoughton) and three sisters (Dorothy Manning of Wakefield, Barbara Hodgkins of Winthrop, and Claire Fitzgerald of Framingham), as well as numerous adoring nieces and nephews…and Zoe (Peg's and Ted's beloved Irish Setter). She is predeceased by two other Irish Setters: Brandy and Patrick.
The Frase-MacMillan Family wish to extend their sincerest thanks to the nurses and doctors of Lawrence Memorial Hospital in New London for their care, medical expertise, and for making Peg's final days as comfortable as possible.
Peg's family will greet relatives and friends at The Dinoto Funeral Home, 17 Pearl Street, Historic downtown Mystic on Tuesday from 10am-10:45am, followed by a service at 11am. Burial will be in Elm Grove Cemetery, Mystic.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Peg's name to the Groton Animal Shelter, 68 Groton Long Point Road, groton CT 06340.
To share a message of remembrance or condolence with Peg's family, please click the link below.