Greetings, readers. You may remember the series I published here on the blog called “Caring for Mother Nature” by my friend, the naturalist and author Peggy Sias Lantz. Today I’m writing to let you know she passed away peacefully last week on Sunday, December 14, 2025, at her lovely home on Lake Lucy in Central Florida. She was 92 years old.
Peggy was an inspiration to many and over the past five years became a dear, trusted, and generous friend of mine. She welcomed me to her home many times, as well as several of my friends who came along with me to meet her, hear fun stories of the critters on her property, and soak in the peaceful lakeside experience.
I will miss her sorely.
I invite you to visit Peggy’s website featuring her many wonderful books: https://peggysiaslantz.com/
How I knew Peggy
I first met Peggy in 2006 on a Rollins Alumni trip to the Galapagos Islands, an adventure of a lifetime, for sure, especially for a naturalist like Peggy. Another of her great loves was music. At Rollins back in the 1950s, she was a music major who played the piano, arriving in the Fall after Mr. Fred Rogers had just graduated the previous Spring. Her family life was very full: she and her husband, Don, raised four children. Over the years, Peggy taught music in public schools, was a church choir director, learned the skill of leathercrafting, owned and loved horses and chickens, enjoyed the company of pet dogs, edited nature magazines, and authored more than ten books and tons of articles.
It was our mutual love of writing that drew us together, and our friendship grew into one of the most cherished gifts of my life.
One thing she used to say about making positive changes in the world was, “If you can’t do something big, just do something small.”
Celebrating the life of Peggy Lantz
I invite you to revisit these informative posts:
Kudos to Peggy Sias Lantz, Naturalist and Author | Charlene L. Edge
Peggy Lantz Wins Habitat Restoration Award | Charlene L. Edge
Index: “Caring for Mother Nature” Posts by Peggy Lantz | Charlene L. Edge
My husband, Hoyt Edge, and I offer our deepest sympathies to Peggy’s family and friends. For more about Peggy’s life, visit:
Peggy Lantz Obituary – Gotha, FL
Thanks for reading!
Your writer on the wing,
Charlene
Leslie Lynch
My deepest condolences. She sounds like an amazing soul — definitely a woman after my own heart.
Sara Schlossman
I was honored then & thankful now to have been one of your friends Peggy welcomed into her sphere.
Robyn
A lovely remembrance of a remarkable woman, Charlene.
Kathleen Brandt
If you can’t do something big, just do something small.
I love this quote! Thanks, Charlene, for sharing so much about Peggy, a truly amazing woman. I feel like I’ve gotten to know her a bit (although we never met) and it has made my life richer. Deepest sympathies to you and all Peggy’s family.
Nylda Dieppa
My condolences to everyone who knew and loved Peggy. Thanks to you I had the opportunity to enjoy her wise, peaceful spirit, love of nature, and sense of justice. I want to be like her when I grow up! Thanks, too, for sharing Peggy’s gifts with the world.