Peggy Ames

Peggy Ames, 55, of Huron and formerly of Miller, passed away Thursday, October 13, 2016 at Avera Hand County Memorial Hospital, Miller following a long battle with cancer. Funeral service were held at2:00 p.m., Monday, October 17, 2016 at the First United Methodist Church, Miller with Rev. David Andrews and Rev. Matt Richards officiating. Burial followed at G.A.R. Cemetery, Miller. Visitation was held from5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Sunday, October 16, 2016 with a 7:00 p.m. prayer service, all at the church. Margaret Ruth "Peggy" was born on Dec 22, 1960 at Hand County Memorial Hospital in Miller, SD to David and Delores Ames. She attended area country schools before graduating from Miller HS in 1979. In 1983 Peggy graduated from the University of Minnesota - Morris with majors in English Literature and Latin American Studies. She later added a teaching degree from California State University - Channel Islands. Part of her education came from her travels. This included studying in Mexico several times and doing a short stint as a nanny in New York City. Peggy married Julio Najera in 1989. Peggy was a writer and a teacher. She started her writing career in Miller HS on the "Hoofbeats" staff. She was an editor at the university newspaper while at UMM and later joined the newspaper staff at the University of Arizona. She also worked at the Miller Press and as a freelance editor for many years. After attaining her teaching credentials, Peg taught in Cuernavaca, Mexico; Oxnard, CA and finished the 2015-2016 school year at Madison Elementary in Huron as an ESL teacher. Nothing brought her greater pleasure than witnessing her young students grasp English skills that will be valuable to them for life. Peggy is survived by her children: Ever Najera, Sioux Falls SD and William Najera, Huron SD; her mother, Delores "Pete" Ames, Miller SD; her sisters: LeAnn (John) Suhr, Webster SD, Theresa (Ken) Martinmaas, Clear Lake SD, and Ellen (Kevin) Logan, Gettysburg SD; and 12 nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her father, David Ames; brother, William Ames; grandparents; and numerous aunts and uncles. Reck Funeral Home of Miller has been entrusted with Peggy's arrangements.