Mrs. Margaret "Peggy" Bagli Otenasek

Margaret “Peggy” Bagli Otenasek passed away peacefully on December 6, 2024. Faith, family, friends, and music were the bedrock of her life. Born on January 1, 1933, Peggy was a lifelong resident of her beloved hometown of Baltimore, except for a brief period when her young family lived in Bethesda, Maryland. She was a loyal and proud alumna of Notre Dame Preparatory School, Class of 1951 and Notre Dame of Maryland University, where she graduated with a BA in 1985. As a young girl and teen, Peggy trained at the Peabody Institute and contemplated a career as a concert pianist. Her life‘s trajectory changed with her father‘s death when she was 17. It was then that she decided to become a nurse and entered nurse’s training at Union Memorial Hospital. Later Peggy worked at the Johns Hopkins Hospital. While there, she met the love of her life and future husband, Richard J. Otenasek, Jr., a medical student training to be a neurosurgeon. Peggy and Dick married in January 1958. They were blessed with six children and 38 wonderful years of marriage. During that time, Peggy continued to share her love of music, starting a musical theater elective at the Cathedral School where her children attended. She, along with a few friends, wrote, directed, and produced original musicals that the students performed in for many years. When Peggy decided to later pursue a college degree, she earned many credits for her work on these musicals. After years of hard work, she earned her BA from Notre Dame of Maryland University. On a beautiful late spring day in 1985, Peggy walked across the stage to receive her diploma with her six children, husband, and family dog proudly cheering her on in the audience at the outdoor graduation ceremony. In the years that followed Peggy continued to share her musical talents, serving as the accompanist for the Gilman Lower School choir and The Larks, a musical group of the Junior League of Baltimore. One of the defining events in Peggy’s and her family’s life was the tragic death of her beloved youngest daughter, Lindsey, in the bombing of Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland on December 21, 1988. Shortly after this, Peggy and a few other mothers started a grief support group for other women who had lost children. This group grew in size and impact over the years. Dick‘s untimely death in 1996 was another great loss for Peggy and her family. Through these great sorrows, Peggy‘s deep and abiding faith, her loving family, many friends, and her music continued to bring her much comfort. Her unshakable faith and trust in the Lord inspired all who knew her. Despite her many trials and sorrows, Peggy remained an inspiration to all with her warmth, hospitality, and faith-filled living. “Keep your eyes on the Lord,” was her credo, and she lived that each and every day. She is survived by her loving children, Catherine O. Levitas and husband Michael, Page O. Kozak and husband Mark, Richard J. Otenasek, III and wife Sallie, Francis H. Otenasek and wife Courtney, and John H. Otenasek; her cherished grandchildren Anne L. Kozak, Michael E. Kozak and wife Nushi Baksh, David T. Kozak and wife Megan, Daniel Levitas Deabler and wife Gabrielle Deabler, Matthew P. Levitas and wife Morgan, Benjamin D. Levitas and wife Melanie Zheng, Richard J. Otenasek IV, Chase M. Otenasek, Jeffrey D. Otenasek, Heath S. Otenasek, Blake W. Otenasek, and Drue C. Otenasek; three great grandchildren; sisters-in-law Lynn Bagli and Jean Bagli; and numerous nieces and nephews. In addition to her husband and daughter, Peggy was predeceased by her parents Dr. Francis “Frank” L. Bagli and Elizabeth “Betty” O’Connor Bagli, and her siblings Vincent “Vince” Bagli, Josephine “Jo” Gugerty, and Francis “Frank” L. Bagli, Jr. Friends may call at Mitchell-Wiedefeld Funeral Home on FRIDAY December 20 from 2-4 pm and again from 6-8 pm. A funeral mass will be held on SATURDAY December 21 at 11 am at The Cathedral of Mary our Queen with visitation 10 am - 10:45 am. The family kindly asks in place of flowers that donations be made in Peggy’s name to the Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Baltimore (https://cc-md.org/ then click donate or by mail to: Attention: Bill McCarthy Catholic Charities 320 Cathedral Street Baltimore, MD 21201) The Funeral Mass will be livestreamed beginning at 10:55 am on December 21st. The link is https://www.youtube.com/cathedralofmary . There is no tech support provided so it is advised to practice accessing the link in advance of the Funeral Mass. Masses are live streamed at 7 AM daily, 5 PM Saturday, and 11 AM Sunday.

Mrs. Margaret "Peggy" Bagli Otenasek

January 1, 1933 - December 6, 2024