Margaret (Peggy) Kleban

Margaret (Peggy) Kleban, 93, mother, grandmother and Gigi of Dallas passed into eternal life on Monday, January 24, 2022 at Kingston Health Care Center, Kingston, Pa.

She was born on January 8, 1929, daughter of the late John and Agnes Semanek Sholtis and raised on the family farm in Jackson Township. Peggy attended Oak Dale School, a one room schoolhouse, until eighth grade and graduated in 1947 from Lehman Township High School. She served as manager of the girls basketball team, was a member of the May Queen Court and gave a presentation at the Farm Show in Harrisburg. Upon graduation, she received the Home Economics award for the highest average.

On June 12, 1948 she married her husband, John Kleban and they were married for almost forty years until his passing on April 8, 1988. They lived in New Jersey for the first ten years of their marriage where both of their daughters were born.

Peggy resided in Pikes Creek for thirty seven years before moving to Dallas and was a member of Gate of Heaven Church. She was a member of the Happy Time Singers, performing in area nursing homes bringing enjoyment to many residents. She also received an award for 20 years of volunteer service with the Meadow’s Auxiliary. Previously, she was a member of the Altar and Rosary Society at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Lake Silkworth and worked for many years at their dinners and bazaars’

Peggy enjoyed traveling and in addition to many day and extended trips throughout the states, including two cross country trips, one by train. Highlights included visiting Mt Rushmore, the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone National Park and San Francisco. She also traveled to Mackinac Island, Michigan, Nova Scotia, cruised the Hawaiian Islands, Bermuda and visited Italy, enjoying Rome, Florence and Tuscany. In her later years, she looked forward every winter to spending time in Siesta Key, Florida.

She loved being with family and friends and enjoyed cooking, sewing, polkas, nature, and cultivated beautiful flower gardens in her yard. Peggy was well known for her culinary skills and her family enjoyed many ethnic Holiday meals, highlighted by the Christmas Eve Dinner and the Easter Breakfast. The yearly Easter egg hunt in her yard added great fun to the day. But most important, was her love and devotion to her family. Her strength, wisdom, compassion for others and faith in God was an inspiration to all. We will miss her beautiful smile and were very blessed to have her in our lives.

Peggy, being the last surviving member of her family, she was preceded by brothers, John, Joseph, Stephen, Michael, and Edward, and sisters, Mary Skoronski, Betty Gutch, Anna Kleban and also her son-in-law, Burt Berrettini.

Margaret is survived by daughters, Joan Kingsbury (Bill), Dallas, Nancy Berrettini, Dallas, grandchildren, Nicole Ganz (Ken), Clarks Summit, Nancy Stout (West), Pittston, William III (Abby), Seattle, WA and great grandchildren, Jacob Ganz, Alexandra Stout, and Westley Stout, III. Many nieces and nephews.

A private Mass of Christian burial was held at the convenience of the family at Gate of Heaven Church, Dallas, with The Rev. Andrew Hvozdovic, officiating with interment in St. Stephen’s Cemetery, Lehman. Memorial contributions may be made to The Shriner’s Hospitals for Children or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Arrangements are Funeral the direction of The Richard H. Disque Funeral Home, Inc., 2940 memorial Highway, Dallas, Pa. 18612. Condolences may be made to Disquefuneralhome.com