Alpha Omicron Pi Mourns Past International President Margaret “Peg” Kramer Crawford

It is with deep regret that the Fraternity announces the passing of Past International President Margaret Kramer Crawford on Wednesday, February 26, 2025. Best known as Peg, her lifelong devotion to Alpha Omicron Pi was immeasurable. Despite her small stature, she was larger than life in personality and enthusiasm for all things and poured her heart into AOII. Peg once wrote, “Everyone hopes they have made a difference – that their contribution was beneficial. AOII has given me so much and I would like to think that I have repaid some of that debt. I can only hope that my service has advanced the Fraternity. Only time will tell.”

Peg’s AOII journey began at the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign where she pledged Iota Chapter in 1945. As a collegian she was active and influential in her chapter, serving in many positions including Chapter President. Her early alumnae involvement began in Denver, Colorado while her husband, Dick, attended law school. There she worked with Chi Delta Chapter before returning to Illinois and further involvement with AOII at the local and international levels. Before her election to International President, she served in many capacities on the Executive Board, including extension, operations, and development. Peg’s longtime service to the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) as a member of AOII’s NPC delegation was a highlight of her volunteer service to the sorority experience.

Committee work was always a passion for this hard-working sister. The Fraternity Development Committee; Centennial Committee; Rituals, Traditions, and Jewelry Committee; International Campaign Committee; and the Perry Award Committee all benefitted from her active involvement. Peg also deeply loved her alumnae chapter experience, most recently with her beloved Chicago South Suburban sisters.

Peg was an engaging storyteller. International events were always a platform for her to share memorable and heartwarming stories from past AOII experiences that endeared her to her audience and was reminiscent of the early storytelling days of AOII’s Founders. For many years, she was the last person standing for Convention Countdown, an AOII tradition of honoring those who have attended the most AOII Conventions during their lifetime. At last count, Peg had reached convention 35.

This sister’s endless volunteer spirit was matched only by her commitment to work and family. She was a longtime Research Assistant at the University of Chicago where she was also instrumental in establishing AOII’s Phi Chi Chapter on that campus. Peg and Dick raised two children, Rick and Nancy, who both married and raised her beloved grandchildren. On September 16, 2024, Peg celebrated her 98th birthday with cards from family and AOII sisters expressing love and gratitude for another year of a life well lived. It was always easy to love and celebrate Peg, and easy for Peg to love AOII.

You may wish to honor Peg with a gift to benefit the Peg Crawford-Phi Chi Scholarship available through the AOII Foundation. Visit the AOII Foundation’s main donation page and under designation, select Named Scholarship Fund, then enter Peg Crawford Scholarship. At Peg’s request, this scholarship is available to a Phi Chi Chapter collegiate member. If no collegiate member of Phi Chi applies or is eligible, then available to a Phi Chi alumna. If no alumnae apply or are eligible, then available to any collegiate member residing in the state of Illinois.

AOII will honor Peg’s impact on Alpha Omicron Pi through a Badge Draping tribute in the coming days. More details regarding the date and the process of Badge Draping will be available soon. The family will hold a memorial service in Peg’s honor later this summer. And as tradition, the Fraternity will recognize and honor Peg during the Memorial Ritual at Convention 2025.