Arlene "Peg" Skeeles, 95, formerly of Chicago, IL and Guilford, CT passed away peacefully on April 28, 2015 at her residence in Hamden, CT. She was predeceased by her beloved husband of 70 years, G. William (Bill) Skeeles, who passed away in Guilford in 2010.

Peg was born in Chicago on January 21, 1920 to Grace O'Rourke and Walter Young. Her father was a pilot in France in WWI and passed away when Peg was 2 years old. Her father was pre-deceased by Peg's brother, Robert Daniel, who died at 3 months from diphtheria. Peg was very close to her older brother, Walter Xavier Young, who waskilled in action during the invasion of Guadalcanal in 1942 at age 23. He was awarded the Navy Cross and the Purple Heart forhis heroism. Walter was close to Peg's heart for the rest of her life.

In 1940, Peg married her best friend's (Jean Skeeles) older brother, Bill. Peg and Bill lived on Chicago's South Side and raised two children, Christine and Robert. When her children were teenagers, Peg resumed her college education, earning both Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Education from the University of Chicago, where she specialized in literacy science. She later taught at a reading clinic in Chicago's South Side. Where she gave many children a future by teaching them to read.

Peg and Bill retired in Guilford in 1984 to be close to their children and grandchildren.

Peg will be missed by her daughter Christine Skeeles Schloss of Guilford, by her son, Robert Skeeles, and his wife, Janet Hooper, of Hamden, and by her grandchildren Tracy Combs & David Schloss, Katie and Sarah Skeeles. Peg is also survived by her cousin, Kathryn Burton of Kensington, MD, her niece Sally Sylvester of Hinsdale, IL, and her nephews Carl Ellison, and his wife Judy Bigelow, of New York, NY, and James Ellison of Chicago.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to Hospice Vitas Community Connection, online or to 199 Park Road Extension, Suite 102, Middlebury, CT 06762.