Peggy Laughlin Buschman (Mrs. David R.), Boulder, Colorado, died on July 22, 2020, one day after her 101st birthday. Born in Paris, Illinois, July 21, 1919, the daughter of Logan and Carrie Elsie (nee Harper) Laughlin, she was a former resident of Gates Mills and Hunting Valley, Ohio, for 38 years, and Stuart, Florida, for 28 years. She moved to Boulder when her beloved husband of 73 years, Dave, died. She lived at The Academy at Bella Vista, and previously at Sunrise of Boulder.
She brightened and contributed to every community in which she lived, and was embraced by friends who delighted in her loving nature, generosity, and creativity, as well as her quick sense of humor and intellectual curiosity.
She served on the women’s boards or otherwise was active in Cleveland’s principal art and music organizations. She was particularly in demand to prepare invitations, often whimsical, for fund-raising operations of the Cleveland Symphony, Cleveland Institute of Music, Cleveland Art Museum, Cleveland Institute of Art, Cleveland Playhouse, and many others. She provided dozens of invitations, even including one for the faculty show of the Cleveland Institute of Art.
She was also known for successful shows of her abstract naturalist paintings and her pottery, and very popular gingerbread houses provided as gifts for her friends. She started the Girl Scouts in Gates Mills, and was a member of numerous community groups there, as well as being the “art lady” in the elementary school. In Florida, she was a resident of Mariner Sands Golf Community, where she served as president of the Mariner Sands Chapel, was active in ladies’ golf and tennis programs, a member of the Croquet Club, and a volunteer in the community, helping prepare young people for college.
She was a Phi Beta Kappa honors graduate of the University of Illinois. She was voted popularity queen as a sophomore and May Queen as a senior. Her activities included membership on the Illini Board of Control, responsible for deciding which seniors would fill the top campus media positions.
She is survived by her son David R. Buschman, Jr., and his wife Sharyn of Riverview, Florida; daughter Patricia Jo Harper of Boulder, Colorado, and her children Karuna Sky Eberl of Boulder, and Lucas Elliot Eberl of Boulder; son Thomas Westlake Buschman and his wife Mary Jean of Mentor, Ohio, and their son Westlake David Buschman of Willoughby Hills, Ohio; and a number of brilliant nieces and nephews from the Burke and Laughlin families.
She is preceded in death by her husband David R. Buschman; sister Patricia Laughlin Burke of St. Charles, Illinois; brother William Henry Laughlin of Maryland; mother Carrie Harper Laughlin; and father Logan Laughlin.
The family extends its gratitude to the caregivers at the Academy at Bella Vista, Trail Winds Hospice, and Sunrise Senior Living, and Peggy’s special friends and companions, for their tender loving care and laughter over the last seven years.
Services will be private.