GLOUCSETER: Margaret Anne “Peggy” (Boylan) Canillas Myrvold, 93, passed away at Seacoast Nursing and Rehabilitation Center Sunday, March 18, 2012. She was the wife of the late Gordon W. Myrvold.
Born in Descart, County Monaghan, Ireland on November 11, 1918, she was the last surviving child of the late John and Catherine (Reilly) Boylan. Having immigrated to the United States at the age of twelve years, she was sent to live with an aunt and uncle to gain an education and hope for a better life. This was the last time she saw her parents.
Peggy made a life working as a domestic and later as a first-class fish cutter in various seafood plants in Gloucester and met her former husband, John L. Canillas, with whom she had two children. Later, becoming a single mother, she worked multiple jobs at a time to support her family.
She was affectionately known by all as “Nan”, giving her all to anyone that needed her help. Her home was sometimes dubbed the “Pine Street Inn” as she welcomed anyone that needed a place to stay. Her faith in God and her love for her family guided her life. She was generous to a fault with her time, energy, caring and love.
Her wish to travel to Ireland was finally realized in 1984 and again in 2001. Her first visit allowed her to reunite with her two surviving brothers. During the second visit, she met many Irish relatives, visited her homestead, church and school, remembering many of the landmarks of her childhood.
Peggy leaves her two children, a son, John L. Canillas, Jr. and his wife Catherine (Densmore) of Deltona, FL; a daughter, K. Maureen (Canillas) Nicastro, companion of Thomas Dipippo; ten grandchildren, Theresa, wife of Frank Lotito; Susan, wife of Bob Becker; Timothy Canillas, husband of Janine (Zager); Judith, wife of Michael Balestraci, Catherine, wife of William Rowell; Thomas Canillas, husband of Anna (Taormina), Michael Nicastro, husband of Shelly (Eason); Lisa M., wife of Brian Allen; James C. Nicastro, husband of Susan (Cutting); and Kathleen, wife of Jeffrey Brown. She also leaves twenty-seven great-grandchildren, Melanie and Stacie Tebo, Michelle Martin, Valerie, Vanessa, and Timothy “TC” Bell, Jacqueline and Daniel Canillas, Michael, Patrick and Megan Balestraci, Lindsay, Daniel and Christopher Rowell, Kerry Ann and John Canillas, Emily and Elise Nicastro, James, Joshua, Kathleen, Hayley Sargent and Savannah Allen, Kristen and Adam Nicastro, Daniel and Alyssa Brown; four great-great grandchildren, Mikayla Robles, Kylie and Noah Davis, and Taylor Barton; family members in Ireland, including her special nephew, Sean Boylan and his wife Sadie; a devoted friend, Marge Tebo, and her sons, Robert Tebo and the late Richard Tebo, and many nieces and nephews. She was also predeceased by five brothers, Bernard, Matthew, Peter, Eoin, and John Boylan and one sister, Mary Kate Lodge.
Her funeral Mass will be celebrated on Wednesday in the Holy Family Parish, St. Ann Church at 10:30 a.m. Visitation will be held prior to the Mass in the Pike-Grondin Funeral Home, 61 Middle Street, Gloucester from 9 to 10:00 a.m. Relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend. In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made in her memory to Children’s Hospital Boston, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115. Interment will be held in the Calvary Cemetery.