Obituary of Margaret Plunkett Lord

Margaret “Peggy” Plunkett Lord, 91, of Jupiter Island FL and Essex CT died peacefully attended by loved ones in Essex CT on Tuesday morning October 13. Born 1929 in Adams MA she spent her childhood in Southport and Fairfield CT attending The Ethel Walker School (’47) and Vassar (’51). In 1950 she married Charles Edwin Lord II of NY (d. 1/11/93) and they moved to the greater Hartford area where she served as a community activist working closely with the Hartford Urban League and inner-city housing authority and planning groups. As the first woman president of that organization she went on to serve as Vice President of the National Urban League Board from 1977-1983. She and Charlie made a lasting contribution to the Hartford community as members of the small group of founders of the Hartford Stage Company. A nationally acclaimed repertory theater company whose concept was developed in the living room of their Simsbury CT home. Peggy established Lord Associates in 1974 to specialize in communications and public affairs and worked closely with the American Petroleum Institute throughout the 1980s bringing industry issues to the attention of constituents around the country. She was also hired to manage the American branch of the Society for the Archeological Study of the Mary Rose. Working with British members and HRH Prince Charles the Society’s goal was to raise the Mary Rose, Henry the VIII’s Tudor flagship which sank off the Isle of Wight in 1545 carrying 700 crew members. Present in England for the ceremony in October of 1982, she felt honored to play a key part in this unique historical project. An avid sportswoman, she cherished childhood summers on Long Island Sound sailing for the Pequot Yacht Club. Her adult blue water racing credits include 10 Bermuda Races, four Annapolis and two Halifax. Additionally, she excelled in skiing, bird shooting, fly fishing, golf, croquet and all racquet sports. Invited to join the New York Yacht Club in 1974 she became only the second independent “Lady Member.” She treasured her 46-year involvement during which she was actively involved in house committees, the Susquacentennial, and in 1998 began her work creating the oral history program which she managed from the model committee from 2003-2011. She trekked in Nepal, summited Kilimanjaro, completed 16 Outward Bound adult expeditions and served on the national board of Outward Bound where she sought to extend its philosophy and experiential education abroad. Her love of travel and her insatiable curiosity about the world and its inhabitants took her to 143 countries and all 7 continents. Photography, writing and music have played an important role in her life. Her photos and articles have appeared in local and national publications including Yachting, Sailing, and Connoisseur. For 10 years she and Charlie were members of the Simsbury Light Opera Company and Charlie served as president of the Hartford Symphony. She was also a proud recipient of the Lady Ramsey Award of the Garden Club of America and is survived by her children Cate Lord of Evergreen CO, Sarah Lord-Field of Weston CT, Charles E. Lord, Jr of Flagstaff AZ, William Plunkett Lord of Wakefield RI as well as 10 grandchildren, five great grandchildren and a great great grandson. A lover of life with an infectious sense of humor, deeply committed to friends and family, always active in community affairs wherever she lived, she will be deeply missed by all who had the honor of knowing her. A graveside service will be held on October 23 at 2 pm at the Plunkett mausoleum, Maple Street Cemetery, Adams MA. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Orbis Foundation, an international travelling eye clinic that flies to underserved areas of the world delivering sight and preventing blindness. Donations may be made via the website at https://donate.orbis.org/ or by mail or phone at Orbis, 520 8th Avenue, 12th Floor, New York, NY, 10018, 800-672-4787. To share a memory of Peggy or send a condolence to her family please visit www.rwwfh.com Arrangements by Robinson, Wright & Weymer Funeral Home in Centerbrook.