Peggy Ann Sweitzer

Peggy ("Peg") Sweitzer, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend, passed away at her home in Atlanta, Georgia, on July 16, 2026, following a courageous battle with a rare blood cancer. She was 76 years old.

Peg was a devoted wife to her husband of 54 years, Caesar, the mother to Emily (Perry Smith) Sweitzer and Charles (Teresa Sullivan) Sweitzer, and the grandmother to Peter and Matthew Smith and Fiona and Corinne Sweitzer, all of whom survive her.

Born in Denver, Colorado, in 1949, Peg was the eldest of six children born to George and Anna Salagovic. She grew up in a close-knit family where hard work, resourcefulness and love were central values. She is survived by her siblings Bill (Shirley) Salagovic, Mary (Steve) Krsnak, John (Gazela) Salagovic, Rick (Marilyn) Salagovic and Charles Salagovic.

Peg graduated among the top students of her high school class and attended Carleton College with full financial aid. She worked hard but also loved the community and adventures of Carleton. She was particularly grateful for the way her classmates enriched her life and helped to shape her worldview by sharing their diverse life experiences and perspectives. She graduated in 1971 with a degree in English and cherished friendships that remained strong for the rest of her life.

It was at Carleton that Peg met her best friend and her partner in all things, Caesar, whom she married in June 1973. Their wedding was a modest affair with family and Carleton friends and a beautiful wedding dress that was made by her mother.

After earning a Master of Library Science degree from the University of Denver, Peg worked at the Institute for Scientific Information in Philadelphia and the Foundation Center Library in New York City, where she ultimately served as Director of the Library. Following the birth of her daughter, she chose to devote herself primarily to raising her family and serving her community through volunteer work. After Peg's children left for college, she took positions as a part-time reference librarian at the Chatham Public Library.

Peg and Caesar settled in Chatham, New Jersey, where they lived in the same house for forty years and raised their two children. For the past twenty-five years, they also enjoyed the cabin they built in the mountains of Colorado. Peg's homes were always open to family, friends and neighbors, and those who came were often blessed with Peg's delicious meals or baked goods.

Service to others was a lifelong calling for Peg. The Chatham United Methodist Church was a particularly fruitful outlet for her dedication and generosity. She served on the Board of Trustees and many committees, tutored kids from Newark, co-chaired the Care Corps initiative to provide rides and meals for seniors, was a hands-on participant in annual antique and rummage sale fundraising events at the Church and often served as informal leader in the kitchen for large Church community events. In the Church she found a place with many strong and action-oriented parishioners who shared her value of service to others.

Peg was a volunteer leader for organizations that were important to her children's lives. She was a Girl Scout troop leader and was also active in the Chatham Public Schools, serving on the Strategic Planning Committee and as a PTO president.

Peg could never reconcile food insecurity with the individual and institutional wealth of our country. For years, she led work groups to the Community Food Bank of New Jersey, and for 25 years she organized the Thanksgiving collection of turkeys and dry goods for the Community Food Bank. After moving part-time to Colorado, she continued her support of food insecurity initiatives with particular appreciation and support for the South Park Food Bank.

In 2007, Peg and Caesar established an endowed scholarship at Carleton College to provide financial aid for first generation college students. Their goal was to support other students like Peg who couldn't otherwise afford a Carleton education, and since inception, the Sweitzer Family Scholarship Fund has provided financial support to 80 students.

In her limited free time, Peg was a talented potter. Peg developed her craft and a treasured community of fellow potters at the New Jersey Center for the Visual Arts. Later, she loved nothing more than spending hours in her Colorado home pottery studio, especially with her sister Mary, her brother Charles, or her grandchildren.

Above all, Peg cherished her family. She took immense pride in her children and found her greatest joy in her four grandchildren: Fiona, Corinne, Peter, and Matthew. Peg and Caesar moved to Atlanta, Georgia in 2020 to be walking distance from Peter and Matthew and relished the frequent visits from the boys to their Grandma. Fiona and Corinne blessed her with near daily video calls, musical performances and extraordinary artwork.

In her final years, Peg and her family were deeply grateful for the excellent and compassionate care provided by the nurses, physicians, and staff of Winship Cancer Institute at Emory University.

Throughout her life, Peg met every challenge with grace, resilience, and hard work. She rolled up her sleeves to help others at every opportunity. She saw and appreciated simple beauty in the world around her. She made others feel welcome and seen. More than anything, she loved her family and many friends deeply and made sure they felt it. May her memory bring you joy!

In accordance with her wishes, no formal funeral service will be held. Her family will gather privately in Colorado to celebrate her life.

Those wishing to honor Peg's memory may consider a donation to:

South Park Food Bank
P.O. Box 2068
Fairplay, CO 80440

Carleton College
Memo: Sweitzer Family Scholarship Fund
Carleton College
Gift Accounting
One North College Street
Northfield, MN 55057-4070

Emory University
Memo: Oncology Nursing Program Fund/Winship
1762 Clifton Road, Suite 2400
Atlanta, GA 30322