Margaret L. “Peggy” (Herner) Kleinhenn
The family and friends of Peggy Herner Kleinhenn, formerly of Lansing, are greatly saddened to announce her passing on Sunday, March 29, 2026, at her home in Florida.
Peggy’s sons James and Matthew Kleinhenn and friend Calvin Simpson were at her side when she passed on.
A light has gone out for all who knew and loved her. She will never be forgotten.
Peggy was 83. She was born on October 23, 1942, in Lansing to Harold “Pete” Herner and Elizabeth “Babe” (Gunn) Herner. Peggy lived in the Lansing area, in Livonia and in Plymouth before retiring to Sun City at Bluffton, South Carolina. Her last year was spent with her sons in Florida.
Peggy graduated from Lansing Eastern High School in 1960, attended Michigan State University and graduated from Western Michigan University with a Bachelor’s Degree in French. She earned a Master’s Degree in Education from Eastern Michigan University. In spite of her diminutive size Peggy became a cheer leader in high school when the activity became physically demanding and continued cheer leading in college. She was very strong and athletic.
After graduating from Western Michigan, Peggy moved to France to enhance her language skills and understanding of French culture. Her decision to live and work in France set the path of her life and professional career.
Peggy lived with a French family as an Au Pair. Immersed in daily French routine, Peggy lost her “foreign” accent and spoke like a native of France. Peggy’s first teaching job was at a girl’s school in Switzerland where she taught English and French to foreign students.
Returning home, Peggy taught English and French at East Lansing High School and married Gary Kleinhenn. Their first born, Steven, died in infancy. Peggy purposefully rebounded, bested her grief and over the next three years gave birth to two strong, healthy boys, James and Matthew. Raising the boys was her priority. For several years Peggy was a stay-at-home mom.
In Plymouth Peggy got back into teaching. She taught English as Second Language to immigrants and foreign workers. For the next 27 years Peggy taught French and Advanced Placement French at Plymouth High School and Plymouth Canton High School at the Plymouth Community School Campus. Following her retirement from Plymouth schools Peggy taught Teaching Foreign Language by Process in seminars around the country. After teaching seminars Peggy settled into tutoring. But apparently, she couldn’t get enough teaching. After moving to Sun City Peggy did substitute teaching and taught an adult evening class titled Learning French the Fun, Easy Way at the University of South Carolina Beaufort.
Peggy always had a variety of interests and curiosities. Although she learned to ski in the Alps and loved to snorkel, her great love was travel. Over the years Peggy made many trips to Europe, especially, but not limited, to France. Her first trip to Europe was in college when she journeyed to France and then to Scotland to visit relatives. Ocean cruises, river cruises to European destinations along with numerous trips to France as a tourist, a student at the Sorbonne and University of Avignon and enjoyed visiting many friends. Peggy also journeyed to Belgium, Holland, England, Italy, Germany and Austria and was always planning visits to other European countries. Peggy visited national parks in the US and Canada and enjoyed adventurous vacations at a Dude Ranch, a Golf Camp and the “Tiger Place” near Myrtle Beach. Peggy loved animals; the wild exotic types like tigers and elephants, but also the birds that gathered at her feeder. She was especially fond of domestic family members; a little dog named Checkers and a little cat named Missy.
Peggy walked multiple miles several days a week until her late 70s and exercised regularly at the gyms in Sun City. She was always in superb physical condition.
Peggy enjoyed football at Spartan Stadium and basketball at the Breslin Center, but she LOVED hockey, whether it was the Plymouth Whalers or Detroit Red Wings; Peggy relished sitting behind the glass. Never neglecting the intellectual, Peggy loved word games and always included a book of SUDOKU puzzles everywhere she went.
Peggy was predeceased by her mother and father; her brother, Robert; her infant son, Steven; and cousin, Peggy (Otto) Hart.
Peggy is survived by her sons, James and Matthew Kleinhenn of North Palm Beach FL; former husband, Gary Kleinhenn of Ann Arbor; niece, Katie Herner; cousins, Susan Herner Grogan of Grand Blanc, Doug (Susie) Herner of Lansing and Kathleen “Katie” Buckmaster of Grand Ledge. Special friends Calvin Simpson, Sally (Darken) Bohland and Mona Kolacki. Friends in France include Joell Lazza & family and Claire & Erwan Lecan & family. In addition are other friends, among them, Donna Hauncher and other teachers, Katrina Wrzesinska and other students.
Peggy was a treasure.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 AM on Thursday, June 4, 2026, at the Estes-Leadley Greater Lansing Chapel, 325 W. Washtenaw St., Lansing, MI. Interment will follow at Evergreen Cemetery in Lansing. Her family will receive friends at the funeral home one hour prior to the service. A luncheon will follow interment.
