MARGARET (CANDY) LEGER DEGAN

1928-2021

Margaret (Candy) Leger Degan passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, at home in Houston Texas, on July 9th 2021 at the age of 92. She leaves behind a legacy of love and dedication to her family and friends.

Margaret is survived by her son John L. Degan and his wife Laura Jo; her son Stephen P. Degan and his wife Monika; her son Edmond B. Degan; her daughter Bridget T. Degan; her grandchildren John, Samuel, Mason and Madeleine; her great grandson Brody; her sister Elizabeth; and several nieces and nephews.

Born to Margaret Walsh Leger and Zachary Leger on November 4, 1928, Margaret grew up in Houston, Texas, the middle child with older brother Thomas and younger sister Elizabeth. Margaret attended St. Anne’s school and Lanier Junior High School and graduated from Lamar in 1945. She attended

Texas State Teachers College for Women before marrying her first love, John Arnold, in 1947. For the next thirteen years, they made their home in Houston and had five children together.

Once on her own, Margaret supported her children with generous help from her parents, her own hard work as an assistant in an architectural firm, and with lots of after-school activities and support from coaches and teachers.

Margaret met Thomas Degan in 1962. Tom was a kind soul, a loving partner and a great dancer. They married in 1966 and Tom adopted her five children. They shared a happy life, fun travels, and many good parties for the next 33 years, until Tom’s passing.

Candy, as many of us knew her, was a remarkable woman. She was strong and generous and she was always ready to help, listen and be supportive. She loved her family and her many friends and they loved her. Never was her love and strength more evident than when she cared for those she loved in her home at the end of their lives: her first born daughter Candace, who passed away from cancer in 1978; her mother (Mimi), who passed away in 1985 at the age of 94; and her husband Tom, who passed away from cancer in 1999.

Candy also loved life and fun. She had a great sense of humor – often dry, which she likely inherited from her Irish mother; and she was always ready to experience something new – whether going on a trip, or going to a museum or the theater, or just visiting over a good meal at a nice restaurant.

Candy liked to meet new people and she never met a stranger … about 20 years ago, we traveled together and we had to run to catch our flight … out of breath, we all plopped into our seats just before the plane departed. Candy’s seat was next to a young man she had never met … about 15 minutes later, he was no longer a stranger – Candy had already learned much more than his name and the young man was sharing his special lunch with her as they happily chatted away for most of the flight.

Candy also liked to cook and entertain. She enjoyed reading and collecting recipes and, in her younger years, she loved to host family gatherings. Whether a special occasion or ‘just another day’, Candy always had an open door - not just for family, but also their friends and friends of friends and most anyone who appreciated fun company and good food. There was one thing for guests to keep in mind: ‘do not arrive too hungry’, because there was much visiting, catching up, toasting and chatting to be done before eating … everyone had fun and the meal was always well worth the wait.

Margaret (Candy) Leger Degan was a remarkable, unique and special person.

She will be fondly remembered and dearly missed by us all.

The family would like to thank Falonda Manuel for the loving, capable care and engaging, fun-loving companionship she provided for ‘Miss Margaret’ during the last years of her life. Our thanks also go to Memorial Herman Hospice for their compassionate end-of-life care.

A gathering to celebrate Margaret’s life is scheduled for Saturday July 24th from 12-3 p.m. at Earthman’s Funeral Home at 8303 Katy Freeway, Houston, Texas 77024 (earthmanhunterscreek.com). She will be laid to rest with her beloved husband Tom at the Houston National cemetery in a private ceremony.