Margaret “Peggy” Northup-Dawson drew her last breath on May 2, 2016, just one week after celebrating her 90th birthday with all six of her beloved children. Her passing will leave a void in the lives of many, Peggy was larger than life, filling a room with her generosity, kindness and joy.
Born in Hollywood to Dr. Kenneth Samuel Davis and Ursula Mary Walker on April 20, 1926, she grew up in Beverly Hills with her two sisters and two brothers. Her Irish-Catholic mother insisted she attend the local parish school for her elementary education but Peggy persuaded her parents to allow her to attend high school at Beverly Hills High.
After high school she attended UCLA where she met and married Oliver Northup Jr. (Chip). After graduating in June 1946, she entered graduate school at Berkeley, studying psychology while Chip studied law at Boalt Hall. She stopped her graduate studies for the birth of her first child, Kathy, followed 18 months later by her second child, William. Shortly after the birth of William the family moved to Sacramento where Chip began his work as a lawyer.
While living in Sacramento the expected third child turned out to be identical twins, James and John. The family moved to Woodland in 1953 where her last two children, Mary and Robert were born. While raising her family in Woodland she worked with friends to organize the Democratic Women’s Club, was active in the League of Women Voters, and helped to start the Woodland Parent Nursery School. She was a founding member of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Davis, where she was very active, eventually founding a pastoral counseling service.
After her four oldest children were in college she pursued her MSW at Sacramento State. Her first marriage ended in 1973, just as she embarked on her new career in social work. Peggy decided to get a fresh start on life by spending a year abroad. She rented a flat in London and using that as a base explored the continent. Peggy had a “joi de vivre” that opened many doors for her. In Europe she met people that invited her for extended visits offering such adventures as fox hunting on Boxing Day, and two weeks in Greece with a group on an archeological dig. She made lifelong friends everywhere she went.
Returning to the States after her year abroad, she located in Davis and took a position with the Yolo County Family Service Agency, eventually becoming director. She became a specialist in family therapy receiving training from leading therapists in the Bay Area. She transferred her passion for her family from her early years into a passion for family therapy. She had a thriving private practice but also took time to train others through adjunct programs in Ukiah and Redding offered by the Sacramento State graduate school.
In 1992 she married Stanley Dawson. With Stan she had opportunity to travel and hike and participate in the activities she loved with someone she loved beside her. She particularly enjoyed her mountain cabin and visits to the ocean, watching the sunset with Stan.
In 2006 Stan and Peggy with long time Unitarian Universalist friends started Glacier Circle, the first elder co-housing community in the United States, as featured on the front page of the New York Times.
The theme throughout Peggy’s life has been her connection to people — to her family, with survivors, Stan, her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and to her beloved sister Kathy-Pat and nieces and nephews and to her extensive community of friends.
A memorial service will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Davis at 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 29.
https://www.davisenterprise.com/obits/margaret-northup-dawson/
Born in Hollywood to Dr. Kenneth Samuel Davis and Ursula Mary Walker on April 20, 1926, she grew up in Beverly Hills with her two sisters and two brothers. Her Irish-Catholic mother insisted she attend the local parish school for her elementary education but Peggy persuaded her parents to allow her to attend high school at Beverly Hills High.
After high school she attended UCLA where she met and married Oliver Northup Jr. (Chip). After graduating in June 1946, she entered graduate school at Berkeley, studying psychology while Chip studied law at Boalt Hall. She stopped her graduate studies for the birth of her first child, Kathy, followed 18 months later by her second child, William. Shortly after the birth of William the family moved to Sacramento where Chip began his work as a lawyer.
While living in Sacramento the expected third child turned out to be identical twins, James and John. The family moved to Woodland in 1953 where her last two children, Mary and Robert were born. While raising her family in Woodland she worked with friends to organize the Democratic Women’s Club, was active in the League of Women Voters, and helped to start the Woodland Parent Nursery School. She was a founding member of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Davis, where she was very active, eventually founding a pastoral counseling service.
After her four oldest children were in college she pursued her MSW at Sacramento State. Her first marriage ended in 1973, just as she embarked on her new career in social work. Peggy decided to get a fresh start on life by spending a year abroad. She rented a flat in London and using that as a base explored the continent. Peggy had a “joi de vivre” that opened many doors for her. In Europe she met people that invited her for extended visits offering such adventures as fox hunting on Boxing Day, and two weeks in Greece with a group on an archeological dig. She made lifelong friends everywhere she went.
Returning to the States after her year abroad, she located in Davis and took a position with the Yolo County Family Service Agency, eventually becoming director. She became a specialist in family therapy receiving training from leading therapists in the Bay Area. She transferred her passion for her family from her early years into a passion for family therapy. She had a thriving private practice but also took time to train others through adjunct programs in Ukiah and Redding offered by the Sacramento State graduate school.
In 1992 she married Stanley Dawson. With Stan she had opportunity to travel and hike and participate in the activities she loved with someone she loved beside her. She particularly enjoyed her mountain cabin and visits to the ocean, watching the sunset with Stan.
In 2006 Stan and Peggy with long time Unitarian Universalist friends started Glacier Circle, the first elder co-housing community in the United States, as featured on the front page of the New York Times.
The theme throughout Peggy’s life has been her connection to people — to her family, with survivors, Stan, her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and to her beloved sister Kathy-Pat and nieces and nephews and to her extensive community of friends.
A memorial service will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Davis at 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 29.
https://www.davisenterprise.com/obits/margaret-northup-dawson/
Margaret “Peggy” Northup-Dawson drew her last breath on May 2, 2016, just one week after celebrating her 90th birthday with all six of her beloved children. Her passing will leave a void in the lives of many, Peggy was larger than life, filling a room with her generosity, kindness and joy.
Born in Hollywood to Dr. Kenneth Samuel Davis and Ursula Mary Walker on April 20, 1926, she grew up in Beverly Hills with her two sisters and two brothers. Her Irish-Catholic mother insisted she attend the local parish school for her elementary education but Peggy persuaded her parents to allow her to attend high school at Beverly Hills High.
After high school she attended UCLA where she met and married Oliver Northup Jr. (Chip). After graduating in June 1946, she entered graduate school at Berkeley, studying psychology while Chip studied law at Boalt Hall. She stopped her graduate studies for the birth of her first child, Kathy, followed 18 months later by her second child, William. Shortly after the birth of William the family moved to Sacramento where Chip began his work as a lawyer.
While living in Sacramento the expected third child turned out to be identical twins, James and John. The family moved to Woodland in 1953 where her last two children, Mary and Robert were born. While raising her family in Woodland she worked with friends to organize the Democratic Women’s Club, was active in the League of Women Voters, and helped to start the Woodland Parent Nursery School. She was a founding member of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Davis, where she was very active, eventually founding a pastoral counseling service.
After her four oldest children were in college she pursued her MSW at Sacramento State. Her first marriage ended in 1973, just as she embarked on her new career in social work. Peggy decided to get a fresh start on life by spending a year abroad. She rented a flat in London and using that as a base explored the continent. Peggy had a “joi de vivre” that opened many doors for her. In Europe she met people that invited her for extended visits offering such adventures as fox hunting on Boxing Day, and two weeks in Greece with a group on an archeological dig. She made lifelong friends everywhere she went.
Returning to the States after her year abroad, she located in Davis and took a position with the Yolo County Family Service Agency, eventually becoming director. She became a specialist in family therapy receiving training from leading therapists in the Bay Area. She transferred her passion for her family from her early years into a passion for family therapy. She had a thriving private practice but also took time to train others through adjunct programs in Ukiah and Redding offered by the Sacramento State graduate school.
In 1992 she married Stanley Dawson. With Stan she had opportunity to travel and hike and participate in the activities she loved with someone she loved beside her. She particularly enjoyed her mountain cabin and visits to the ocean, watching the sunset with Stan.
In 2006 Stan and Peggy with long time Unitarian Universalist friends started Glacier Circle, the first elder co-housing community in the United States, as featured on the front page of the New York Times.
The theme throughout Peggy’s life has been her connection to people — to her family, with survivors, Stan, her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and to her beloved sister Kathy-Pat and nieces and nephews and to her extensive community of friends.
A memorial service will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Davis at 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 29.
https://www.davisenterprise.com/obits/margaret-northup-dawson/
Born in Hollywood to Dr. Kenneth Samuel Davis and Ursula Mary Walker on April 20, 1926, she grew up in Beverly Hills with her two sisters and two brothers. Her Irish-Catholic mother insisted she attend the local parish school for her elementary education but Peggy persuaded her parents to allow her to attend high school at Beverly Hills High.
After high school she attended UCLA where she met and married Oliver Northup Jr. (Chip). After graduating in June 1946, she entered graduate school at Berkeley, studying psychology while Chip studied law at Boalt Hall. She stopped her graduate studies for the birth of her first child, Kathy, followed 18 months later by her second child, William. Shortly after the birth of William the family moved to Sacramento where Chip began his work as a lawyer.
While living in Sacramento the expected third child turned out to be identical twins, James and John. The family moved to Woodland in 1953 where her last two children, Mary and Robert were born. While raising her family in Woodland she worked with friends to organize the Democratic Women’s Club, was active in the League of Women Voters, and helped to start the Woodland Parent Nursery School. She was a founding member of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Davis, where she was very active, eventually founding a pastoral counseling service.
After her four oldest children were in college she pursued her MSW at Sacramento State. Her first marriage ended in 1973, just as she embarked on her new career in social work. Peggy decided to get a fresh start on life by spending a year abroad. She rented a flat in London and using that as a base explored the continent. Peggy had a “joi de vivre” that opened many doors for her. In Europe she met people that invited her for extended visits offering such adventures as fox hunting on Boxing Day, and two weeks in Greece with a group on an archeological dig. She made lifelong friends everywhere she went.
Returning to the States after her year abroad, she located in Davis and took a position with the Yolo County Family Service Agency, eventually becoming director. She became a specialist in family therapy receiving training from leading therapists in the Bay Area. She transferred her passion for her family from her early years into a passion for family therapy. She had a thriving private practice but also took time to train others through adjunct programs in Ukiah and Redding offered by the Sacramento State graduate school.
In 1992 she married Stanley Dawson. With Stan she had opportunity to travel and hike and participate in the activities she loved with someone she loved beside her. She particularly enjoyed her mountain cabin and visits to the ocean, watching the sunset with Stan.
In 2006 Stan and Peggy with long time Unitarian Universalist friends started Glacier Circle, the first elder co-housing community in the United States, as featured on the front page of the New York Times.
The theme throughout Peggy’s life has been her connection to people — to her family, with survivors, Stan, her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and to her beloved sister Kathy-Pat and nieces and nephews and to her extensive community of friends.
A memorial service will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Davis at 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 29.
https://www.davisenterprise.com/obits/margaret-northup-dawson/
Family Members
See more Northup-Dawson or Davis memorials in:
- Davis Cemetery Northup-Dawson or Davis
- Davis Northup-Dawson or Davis
- Yolo County Northup-Dawson or Davis
- California Northup-Dawson or Davis
- USA Northup-Dawson or Davis
- Find a Grave Northup-Dawson or Davis
