Obituary of Margaret Bothner

THERE WILL BE A WAKE TONIGHT FOR PEG BOTHNER. VISITATION IS FROM 4-7PM AS ORIGINALLY ANNOUNCED. Margaret C. O’Malley Bothner “Peg” Olean, NY A gifted artist who captured the beauty of life on canvas as much as she created it with her love and caring, Margaret C. “Peg” Bothner passed away in the early morning of Friday (Feb. 25, 2022) after a short but serious illness. She was a loving wife and mother and was an active figure in the local Olean community for over 60 of her 91 years. Born to Hubert and Frances O’Malley in Hartford CT on Nov. 22, 1930, Peg grew up in Stratford CT along with her sister and two brothers and in June of 1958 she married the love of her life Richard C. Bothner. They moved to Olean shortly thereafter as he joined the St. Bonaventure faculty. They loved the Olean area and community so much they stayed here to raise a loving family and build a beautiful circle of lifelong friendships. Peg received BA and MA degrees from St. Bonaventure University, but her true passion and energy was her art. She pursued her love for art from early childhood and participated in numerous art education programs and seminars throughout her life. Her abundant work has been on display in many museums and galleries, but most importantly it is hanging and treasured in numerous local homes and businesses. In 2017 Peg received the “Supporter of the Arts and Culture” award from the Cattaraugus County Arts Council. That recognition included Peg’s volunteer work over many years for doing hundreds of individual portraits of the residents in the Pines Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center. In spring of 2021 she was the featured artist in the Tri County Arts Council Gallery feature “Maestro Moods” which was so well attended that numerous extra ‘meet the artist’ sessions were required. Later that year she received the Lifetime Achievement award from the Tri County Arts Council. Peg was also an active supporter of the Friends of Olean Library, Southern Tier Symphony and Keynote Chorus. For some of these events she joyously opened her home to visiting musicians and artists and often this would lead to impromptu jam sessions in her living room which she cherished. Peg was devout in her Catholic faith and was an active member of St. John’s parish. Her conviction and passion led her to also explore and share in numerous multifaith and spiritual groups where she contributed and learned and developed new and unexpected friendships. She was especially fond of the Olean Meditation Center and her experiences and friendships there. Her strong spirituality never faltered even in her final hours. While she spent her entire adult life in Olean, she enjoyed travelling to understand other cultures. She spent extended time in Ireland on a trip with the Boston Art Museum to study and paint the beauty and richness of landscapes, people and buildings there. She also took a year to travel entirely around North America with her husband, camping and exploring numerous national parks in US and Canada, and appreciating the beauty of the diverse climates and geologies from the Canadian Rockies to the New Mexican deserts and whale watching in the Northern Pacific. Peg also loved to recall and share her paintings and impressions of her trips to Spain and Italy. She lived her life and raised her children through example, weaving a unique and beautiful fabric of life with her most important values - charity, caring, community, compassion, the beauty of nature and sustainable responsibility, thankfulness, expression, dignity of every person, Irish heritage, kindness, dinner parties, and the true power of friends, faith and family. More recently, Peg was fortunate and very grateful for the wonderful care and kindness she received from her in home caregivers Sherry Foster, Becky Pangburn, and Amanda Klein who made it not only possible but pleasurable for her to stay in the home she loved so much. THERE WILL BE A WAKE TONIGHT FOR PEG BOTHNER. VISITATION IS FROM 4-7PM AS ORIGINALLY ANNOUNCED Peg is survived by her sister Pat Meier, her two daughters Patsy (Miguel Villafranca) and Jane (Will Harkin) and two sons Carl (Rose) and Peter (Victoria). She was also blessed with 10 grandchildren: Alexandra (Anthony Abbruscato) and Sarah Bothner, Miguel and Julia Villafranca, Maegan and Savannah Bothner, Hannah Gross, and James (Lilly), Grace and John Harkin. She is pre-deceased by her soul mate, canoe partner and husband Richard Bothner and her two brothers Dick and Pete. The family will receive friends on Tuesday (March 1, 2022) from 4-7pm at the Casey, Halwig & Hartle Funeral Home, 3128 W. State Rd., Olean. A Memorial Celebration for Peg will be held at the Olean Meditation Center this summer with specifics to be announced at a future date. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Tri-County Arts Council, 110 W. State St., Olean, NY 14760. Online condolences may be expressed at oleanfuneralhome.com.