Tehachapi News

'We came to trust her'; Peggy Mikkelsen remembered

larger view larger view

Family, friends and even those who met Margaret “Peggy” Mikkelsen only one time gathered at Bear Valley Church in Bear Valley Springs Wednesday, Sept. 2 to remember her.

A wooden casket rested in front of the sanctuary's pews, and on top of it, amongst a vibrant collection of flowers, was a framed picture of Mikkelsen holding “Boots,” a stout, orange cat.

Mikkelsen, who loved animals, owned Ultimate Pet Sitters, a business for which she had around 100 clients.

She was killed Friday, Aug. 28, when she was hit by an out-of-control truck while in her front yard.

The accident remains under investigation.

Pastor Mike Loehrer read Mikkelsen's obituary, written by her husband, John.

Vito Jankovskis, who met Mikkelsen in the 1970s in Ventura, Calif. when both worked for the U.S. Department of Defense, recounted stories about working alongside Mikkelsen and getting to know her.

“I introduced her to wine, she introduced me to the world's greatest brownies,” he said.

Jankovskis even recalled just how Mikkelsen and her husband met. Jankovskis said he noticed a “certain sailor” always hanging around Mikkelsen when she worked to provide tech support to Naval ships.

Eventually, in her forward manner, Mikkelsen asked her eventual husband an important question.

“She said, 'Don't you think it's about time you asked me to marry you?'” Jankovskis said to laughs.

Nathan and Shannon McReynolds, two of Mikkelsen's six grandchildren, told the audience about visiting national parks with their grandmother, including the Grand Canyon.

Nathan recalled his grandmother mandating that he take time out of each day to play with his dog. Shannon remembered an old story about how, at age 3, she was locked inside her house, but was rescued by her grandmother, who opened a locked door using only a credit card.

“At least we have these memories of a lady with a caring, loving, beautiful heart,” Shannon said.

Tracy Geyer, one of Mikkelsen's daughters, traveled from Harpswell, Maine to attend the funeral.

Geyer read from a journal entry penned by Mikkelsen years earlier entitled, “When I die, I believe that …”

In the entry, Mikkelsen hoped that when people looked at a beautiful sunset or climbed a mountain, they would “think of me.”

“Wouldn't she have loved to be here now?” Geyer said.

Geyer said she talked to her mother on the phone Aug. 28 before the accident, and received some heartfelt advice.

“She said, 'Trace, take care of the things you can do something about, and the things you can't, let them go,'” Geyer said.

Following the eulogists, a brief open-microphone session took place, where several funeral attendees offered their thoughts on Mikkelsen.

One woman said Mikkelsen altered her Ultimate Pet Sitters schedule to devote more time to look after the woman's pets while her husband was suffering from cancer.

“She was always there for us,” she said.

Another woman described Mikkelsen as “one of those types that'll get you going,” and recalled loving Mikkelsen's delicious baked pumpkin rolls.

“She will be missed, not just by people but by the animals, as well,” she said.

A slide show presentation was displayed, with several decades worth of photos of Mikkelsen and her family featured.

Brian Levy, an Ultimate Pet Sitters customer for three years, said Mikkelsen was the only sitter he would let look after his two German shepherds.

“We came to trust her, rely on her,” Levy said. “She was extremely trustworthy.”

Levy said Mikkelsen loved and respected animals, and had a great rapport with them.

She was always organized and professional, Levy said, and she always left a detailed diary of how she took care of his dogs.

“She always called if there were issues,” Levy said.

Over time, their relationship turned from strictly business to friendly. Eventually, the two became friends, Levy said.

“It just killed me (to hear she had died),” he said.

Ida Perkins, president of the Tehachapi Chamber of Commerce, remembered Mikkelsen as one of the organization's “most dedicated ambassadors.”

“She enriched our lives with her presence,” Perkins said. “She will be missed very much.”