BEVERLY: Ada D. “Peggy” (MacDonald) Shofner, 93, died peacefully with her family by her side on Tuesday, April 14, 2015 in the Ledgewood Nursing & Rehabilitation Center. She was the beloved wife of the late William E. Shofner who died in 2003.
Born in Gloucester on August 16, 1921, she was the daughter of the late Epes W.D. and Evelyn (Horton) MacDonald. Peggy was a graduate of Gloucester High School class of 1939 and the Salem Commercial School class of 1941. A U.S. Navy veteran of World War II, she was stationed in Washington, D.C. assigned to the communications division, where all directives from the Commander in Chief were sent to all ships at sea and U.S. Naval bases. There she met her husband of fifty-eight years. Her name is recorded with the “Registry of National World War II Memorial” and the “Women in Military Service in America Memorial” in Arlington National Cemetery and also listed on the Gloucester Veterans Memorial. She was a charter member of “Women in the Military service for America Memorial Organization”.
Peggy was active in the Gloucester community, serving with the PTA, Cub Scouts, Brownies and Boy Scouts. She was also a Sunday school teacher at the Riverdale Methodist Church; a member of the Rainbow Girls Mother’s Club and was a Past Worthy Matron of the Martha Washington Chapter Order of Eastern Star.
Peggy worked as a legal secretary in law firms in Manchester and Gloucester for over thirty-five years before her retirement in 1981, when she and her husband moved to N. Ft. Meyers, Florida, where they lived for twenty years before returning to Beverly fifteen years ago.
She is survived by her son, William E. Shofner and his wife, Patricia, of Magnolia; her daughter, Claudia E. Palazola of Danvers and her fiancé, Robert Hayes; her two grandchildren, Corey M. and Sarah J. Palazola of Danvers and two cousins, Ruth (MacDonald) Caravello and her husband, Bob of Woburn and Melvin MacDonald and his family from Georgia.
Her memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 25th in the First Baptist Church, 221 Cabot St., Beverly at 11 a.m. Relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend. There are no visiting hours. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in her memory to Perkins School for the Blind (Braille & Talking Library), 175 N. Beacon St., Watertown, MA 02472.