STAMFORD - Peggy Schiffman Marcus, 88, passed peacefully Sunday, June 3, 2012 at her home.

She was born on December 26, 1923, in Brooklyn, New York, to Morris Charles Schiffman and Sarah ("Shirley") Bruder Schiffman. She married George Marcus in 1947, having met him at Cornell University where she received Bachelors and Masters Degrees from the College of Home Economics (now called the College of Human Ecology). Peggy was a devoted, loving wife to her husband George, a nurturing, inspiring mother to her daughters Debra and Madeline ("Lynn"), and a loving and very fun grandmother to her granddaughters Rebecca and Sarah. She was a caring, supportive and interesting friend to many, many people.

Peggy and George moved to Stamford in 1950, and in 1951, she began working at the State University College at Oneonta, teaching Family Studies in the Home Economics Department. In the more than 28 years that she taught at "SUCO", she touched the lives of thousands of students, encouraging, supporting, mentoring and challenging them. Her courses, including Marriage and the Family, Child Development, and Sociology of the Family, were always among the most popular classes offered. She pioneered a course called "Adulthood and Aging" before most people were aware of the field of gerontology, and was so proud that the college eventually developed that as a major and even gave it her title. She taught an early course in Women's Studies, and encouraged all of her students—and her daughters and granddaughters—to aim high, regardless of gender. She was a delegate to the 1981 White House Conference on Aging and was listed in Who's Who Among American Women.

When she retired in 1988, she started a book club, resumed playing the piano, learned the computer and began painting, taking courses from Tom Natoli and others. Her favorite medium was water color, and she created mostly Chinese brush paintings and nature scenes. She displayed and sold her paintings at various venues, including Adams Antiquarian Books in the Hobart Book Village, donated them to charitable auctions and gave them to grateful friends and relatives. For many years, she volunteered with MURAL, the Mount Utsyantha Rural Arts League, serving as President and Vice President. She was an active member of CCAL, the Council for Continuing Adult Education, serving on the curriculum committee for over 15 years, chairing the membership committee, teaching some classes and enrolling in many others. She also volunteered with the Catskill Mountain Educational Services Board, the Stamford Central School PTA, the Stamford Village Library Board, the Stamford Hospital Auxiliary, the Stamford Village Improvement Association and Catskill Area Hospice. Truly, a life well lived.

Peggy is survived by her husband, George Marcus; daughters, Lynn Marcus and Debra Marcus and her husband, John Nader; granddaughters, Rebecca and Sarah; step grandchildren, Mark and Rachel; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Philip and Audrey Gore Marcus; brother and sister-in-law, Sheldon and Pauline Schiffman; many nieces and nephews; "adopted daughter", Diane Beers and her husband, Tom Beers, and many dear and valued friends.

She was predeceased by her parents, Charles and Shirley Schiffman; sister, Estelle Schiffman Rosenberg, and dear friends, Irene and Fred Allen.

The funeral service will be held 11 a.m., Wednesday, June 6, 2012 at the Lewis, Hurley & Pietrobono Funeral Home, Oneonta, with the Rev. Richard Breuninger, retired and the Rabbi Barbara Goldman-Wartell, Temple Concord, Binghamton, co-officiating.

Interment will follow at Temple Beth El Cemetery in Emmons.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that contributions be made to Planned Parenthood of South Central New York, 37 Dietz Street, Oneonta, New York 13820.

Expressions of sympathy may be made at, www.lhpfuneralhome.com

Arrangements are under the guidance of the Lewis, Hurley & Pietrobono Funeral Home, 51 Dietz St., Oneonta.