Peg Howe

2012 P.F.O.V. Honoree Peg Howe (L)

2012 P.F.O.V. Honoree Peg Howe (L)

In 2012, we honored Peg Howe. Peg, a native of Lower Makefield, and a member of St. John the Evangelist parish since 1990. Peg was present at the event along with her loving, extended family, including sister Sue Malone, who spoke about her life and her battle with uterine cancer. She was undergoing treatment during the event and used her time to talk to audience about being an advocate for Women’s cancer awareness. She succumbed to the disease just months after her appearance there but will always be remembered as an annual volunteer doing whatever it took to make sure the event was a success. She could often be seen working with young children in the poster room.

Peg held a doctorate in family and consumer science from Iowa State University and worked as a high school consumer science teacher at Freehold HS in New Jersey. Mother to Kylie Howe, now a junior at PHS and a longtime player in the Jimmy V events, she played with her Pennsbury high school team at this year’s event.  Peg was ever present in Kylie’s life also serving the parish by volunteering on the St. John’s CYO track team, where Kylie was a member and sister Sue and brother-in-law Bob Malone coached. She also chaired the enrichment committee at St. John’s school while her daughter was a student.

Howe was diagnosed in the winter of 2011 with uterine cancer after a pap smear came back positive. She underwent a hysterectomy in May followed by six months of chemotherapy and returned to work in December 2011.  “My message to women is to be diligent in getting annual checkups and in seeking out the best care for treatment if there is a problem. Do not stop at one doctor; go out and seek the best.”

This year’s event included our first major sponsorship from local area hospitals including Capital Health in NJ and Rothman Specialty Hospital.