Margaret M. McEntee

Peg McEntee, loving wife, mother and friend, passed away peacefully due to complications from Alzheimer’s disease on Thursday, April 27th. Peg was born in Salt Lake City to Elizabeth Beck McEntee and Bernard McEntee and was preceded in death by her parents.

A transfer to Fresno allowed Peg to disappear for hours at a time exploring vinyards and neighborhoods on her bike. Returning to Salt Lake, the family settled into their home on Wallace Lane in Holladay. One of the highlights of her life was the time she spent working at Charlie Woodbury’s Trout Creek Boat Camp at Strawberry Reservoir. She formed an enduring, loving friendship with Scarlett Hepworth over the summers of 1967, 1968 and 1969. Peg graduated from Skyline High School in 1970, involved with the literary magazine and theater activities.

Peg enjoyed her backshop work at the U. of U.’s Daily Utah Chronicle with Rex Nutting, Ron Varela and friend through it all, Barbara Rattle. In fact, it was here that old friend Scarlett introduced her to her future husband, Bill Throneburg. Peg and Bill were married at Bill’s family home June 11, 1982.

In 1982, Peg began work as a writer and editor on local and national stories for the Associated Press. She then assumed an editor’s role at The Salt Lake Tribune in 1994. Her work ethic, storytelling and personality earned her enormous respect from her editors and those she worked with. She made many fast friends during her years at AP and the Trib.

Her interest in people and their stories, as well as her loyalty and energy, were evident in her personal life. Peg and Bill had their daughter, Kate, in 1987, and there could not have been a more supportive mother. She made friends wherever she went, was frequently on the phone with her siblings, and was quick to put on a pot of coffee or pour a snort.

Always alert and curious, she enjoyed travel to Europe with friends and family. One of her favorite places was Cedar Mesa in Southern Utah, where tent camping was the order of the day.

An avid reader, Peg valued her subscriptions to The New Yorker and the Sunday New York Times. She was a cherished patron of the King’s English bookstore, where she racked up plenty of bookstore credits over many years. Most evenings and weekends, she could be found making her way through stories and novels. Peg and daughter Kate joked for many years that her epitaph would read, “Let me just finish this chapter.”

Peg is survived by husband Bill, daughter Kate and her five siblings. The family is especially thankful for the care and careful attention paid by the entire staff of the Intermountain Medical Center.

A memorial celebration of Peg’s life is pending. In honor of Peg, the family suggests that contributions be made to the Alzheimer’s Association of Utah (855 E. 4800 S., Ste 100, Salt Lake City, UT 84107).