Mary Margaret Cherelli

Mary Margaret (Peggy) Pearson Cherelli was called home to the Lord on Wednesday, February 8th, 2023 after experiencing complications from cancer. She was 68 years old.

Peggy was born to Margaret (Jaggers) Pearson and Harold Pearson at Montgomery Hospital in Norristown, PA on December 3, 1954 and grew up in East Norriton with her parents and four siblings. 

She met her future husband, David Sullivan Cherelli, in 1972, during her senior year at A.D. Eisenhower High School. The two were married on March 18, 1975 —three years to the day after their first date—and spent the next nearly 51 years together. In the 1980s, Peggy and Dave shared a duplex on Hamilton Street with Dave’s sister Bernadette and her then-husband Andrew Robinson, and both homes were often filled with impromptu gatherings of family, friends, and neighbors of all ages, all of whom were drawn to Peggy’s warm heart and generous laughter.

Peggy was the first co-op student at Provident Indemnity Insurance Company and worked there for 10 years before moving on to other opportunities, including a long-term position at Lincoln School in Norristown. She eventually assumed the role of Controller at Refrigeration Design & Service, formerly located in West Conshohocken, where she remained for 28 years until her retirement. Though her career was in accounting, her defining gift was her creativity: miniatures, crafts, theater props—Peggy did it all. She loved theater and occasionally worked as a techie at the Barn Playhouse in West Norriton, where she was known as an ingenious problem-solver who “could make something out of nothing." Her creative spark was passed down to her four children and 10 grandchildren, who have found expression in creative mediums ranging from theater to the visual and culinary arts. 

Throughout her life, Peggy was deeply involved in her community and served in numerous leadership roles, including cheer mom, Cub Scout den mother, Sunday School teacher, founding member of the Norristown Bicentennial Committee, and a volunteer with the Interfaith Group of Norristown. She loved arts & crafts, British television, buying gifts for her grandkids, collecting miniatures & small toys, all things Disney, Dunkin Donuts coffee, exploring her ancestry, watching nightly television with her daughter, sugar wafer cookies, and Bella the dog. 

Peggy was preceded in death by her father, Harold Pearson; parents-in-law Napoleon & Rose Cherelli; granddaughter, Giavanna Lloyd; best friend, Michele Royer; brother-in-law, Christopher Cherelli; "adopted" daughter, Tanitha Kulsiri; her grandparents, many aunts, uncles, cousins, and her beloved nanny & travel companion, Margaret Elizabeth Jaggers (Carey).

Her love survives through her husband David Sullivan Cherelli; her son David Jeremy Cherelli, daughter-in-law Lisa, and grandchildren Holden, Katherine, Connor & Ian; her daughter Christa Fisher, son-in-law Troy, and grandchildren Eleanor & Ethan; her daughter Carey Brown, son-in-law Rodney, and grandchildren JR (Rodney Jr.), Lillian, Bernette & Mae; her daughter Gabrielle Cherelli; her mother Margaret (Jaggers) McIntyre; her brother Gary Pearson, sister-in-law Sharon, and nephew Kyle; her sister Patricia Smolcynski, brother-in-law Andy, and nieces and nephews Chad Perry, Amanda, Erica & Drew; her sister Dorothy Gambale, brother-in-law Ralph, and nephew and niece Jason and Alexis; her brother James Pearson and nephew and niece Joseph & Jacalyn; brothers-in-law Larry Cherelli, Kenny Cherelli, and Mark Cherelli; her best friend & sister-in-law, Bernadette Robinson, former brother-in-law and dear friend Andrew Robinson, and nieces and nephew Maria, Andy, Danielle & Katie; dear friend Cindy Schodle; and a constellation of loved ones, extended and chosen family members, and friends too numerous to count. 

There will be a celebration of Peggy's life at St. John's Presbyterian Church (217 Berkley Road, Devon, PA 19333) on February 24th from 6-9pm, with a private burial to be held later. 

In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes donations in Peggy’s honor to Food For the Poor (https://foodforthepoor.org/) and/or Joyce Meyer's Ministry (https://joycemeyer.org/donate). 

Peggy was a beautiful person inside and out, and the world is a more beautiful place because of her time in it. She will be forever missed, remembered, and loved.  

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