Peggy Jean (McGillivray) Piehl, 63, of Mandan, North Dakota, passed away on August 17, 2026, leaving behind a family who loved her beyond words and a lifetime of people who were better for having known her.

A funeral service will be held at 10:30 AM on Friday, August 21, at Eastgate Funeral Service, 3117 E Century Ave., Bismarck, ND. Visitation will be held one hour prior. Burial will be held at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan, ND.

Peggy was born in Minot, North Dakota, to George and Lumoil “Happy” McGillivray. She grew up in Minot, where she would eventually meet the love of her life, George Piehl, and complete her nursing degree. Peggy and George spent 38 years together and were married for 33.

Peggy and George made their home in Hebron, North Dakota, for 31 years. It was there that they raised their two boys, Matthew and Cody, while George served with the Morton County Sheriff’s Department. Peggy’s loyalty to George and her family never wavered. She stood beside him through the sacrifices that came with a career in law enforcement, and together they built a life centered around their family.

Eventually, Peggy and George made their way to Mandan and the home Peggy had always dreamed of—a house on the river. It became her favorite place and a fitting home for someone who loved her plants, gardens and animals and simply enjoyed having her family around her.

Peggy was warm, loving, caring and, when needed, wonderfully direct. She had a way of making people feel comfortable enough to talk to her about just about anything. More importantly, she didn't just hear people—she listened. Whether you needed advice, encouragement, help through a difficult time or simply someone to talk to, Peggy was there.

That extended far beyond her immediate family. Throughout her life, people found in Peggy a friend, mentor and source of guidance. She had a way of taking people under her wing and making them feel heard, seen and safe. Her kindness was never something she had to work at. It was simply part of who she was.

For Matthew and Cody, she was their rock. She was the phone call when life got complicated, when there was a decision to make or when they simply needed Mom's advice. She could be loving and comforting, but she would also tell you exactly what she thought—and when the boys were young, she wasn't above making her point with the occasional threat of a wooden spoon.

Of all the roles Peggy had in her life, being Grandma was one she loved with her whole heart.

Her five grandchildren—Brixton, Harlow, Stetson, Stafford and Isabella—were the center of her world. There wasn't anything too small or ordinary to be special when she was doing it with them. She would sit on the floor and play toys, read books, bake cookies and simply enjoy being with them. To Peggy, the time itself was what mattered. Her grandchildren never had to wonder how much Grandma loved them. She made sure they knew.

Caring for people wasn't only part of Peggy's personality; it was also her life's work. She spent her entire career in nursing, and some of the years she treasured most were those she spent working in public health. It gave Peggy the opportunity to do what came naturally to her—care for people, listen to them, educate them and help them navigate difficult moments in their lives. She took great pride in being a nurse and in the relationships she built throughout her career. To Peggy, nursing was never simply a job she went to. It was part of who she was.

Outside of nursing, Peggy found happiness in the simple things at home. She loved gardening and plants, quilting, pottery and canning. She loved to cook and bake, cared deeply for her animals, and was happiest surrounded by the people she loved at her home on the river.

She even had a plan for retirement—or at least a running joke about one. Combining two of the things she loved, Peggy joked that after retiring she was going to start “Peggy’s Perfect Pickles and Pottery.” It was one of those ideas that was part joke and part Peggy, and anyone who knew her could probably picture her actually doing it.

Peggy is survived by her husband, George Piehl; her sons, Matthew (Sylvia) Piehl and Cody Piehl; and her beloved grandchildren, Brixton, Harlow, Stetson, Stafford and Isabella Piehl. She is also survived by her sisters, Paulette Pollard and Karen (Leonard) Fleck; her brothers, Terry (LaRae) McGillivray and George (Kim) McGillivray; along with many extended family members, friends, coworkers and others whose lives she touched.

She was preceded in death by her parents, George and Lumoil “Happy” McGillivray, and her brother-in-law, Jim Pollard.

There is no way to sum up 63 years of a person's life in a few paragraphs, especially someone who meant so much to so many. Peggy leaves behind more than memories. She leaves behind the kindness she showed people, the wisdom she shared, the family she loved fiercely and five grandchildren who will grow up knowing just how much their Grandma loved them.

Her family will miss her advice. They'll miss her cooking and baking, her directness, her laugh, her presence and the comfort of knowing she was only a phone call away. Most of all, they'll simply miss her.

A saying that captures both Peggy's career and the way she lived her life feels especially fitting:

“Save one life and you're a hero. Save a hundred lives and you're a nurse. A nurse is not what you do, but who you are.”