Margaret Iris Oberg joined her sisters in heaven on January 7, 2025. She was surrounded by her family.

Margaret, known as Peg, was born to Captain Roy and Hazel (Evans) Oberg at the family cabin in Grand Portage on March 13, 1940. Peg enjoyed splashing or paddling out to Hollow Rock and playing on the shore, including spending time on what the family called the “piano rock.” She also spent much time with her sisters and little brother, cleaning and mending fishing nets. Peg loved making trips to Isle Royale on the various boats her father Roy Oberg captained.

She attended Cook County High School. As a young woman, she worked at the historic Naniboujou Lodge.

She met and married James Hill and they moved to Duluth where four of her five children were born. Jim worked for the telephone company and they moved as needed, to St. Cloud, South Grove, and Makinen. Their youngest son James was born on the Iron Range.

On the Range, Peg worked for the Arrowhead Economic Opportunity Agency’s housing program, serving as a liaison between renters and landlords. She also operated the Oberg’s Custom Sportswear in the Thunderbird Mall in Virginia, MN.

After her children were grown, Peg returned to Minnesota’s North Shore where she worked as a deckhand alongside her father on the Voyageur II, learning more about navigating the route she made so many times as a child to Isle Royale. Following in her dad’s footsteps, she completed the requirements and became a captain.

Looking for adventure on a visit to California to her daughter, Debbie, Peg decided to go to work for CALTRANS, operating the J-Mac ferry. She captained the ferry across the Steamboat Slough in the San Joaquin Delta area. Peg mastered the complicated process of on- and off-loading vehicles and became the first female captain in the San Joaquin Delta area.

She enjoyed cruising and fishing the delta area with her daughter Debbie’s family in her private boat dubbed The Captain’s Kids. That boat has been lovingly maintained and is still in use on the North Shore by family members.

Peg retired from that California job and returned to her beloved North Shore. She was entrusted with a contract with the U.S. Customs & Border Patrol to clean the Pigeon River border crossing. She enjoyed working with her sister Dottie at the border.

Peg couldn’t stay away from the water though. She took on the piloting of the Summer Song for interpretive tours for the Grand Portage Band and Wilderness Inquiry. Peg greatly enjoyed this chance to share her knowledge of “Pete’s Island,” Lloyd Hendrickson’s fish house, the Susie Islands and so much more.

When Peg finally retired, she purchased land in Colvill with a spectacular view of Five Mile Rock. As a landowner, she wanted to learn more about erosion and sustainability and she earned a land conservation certificate. Purchasing the land overlooking Lake Superior fulfilled Peg’s lifelong dream of having a “homestead” for her family. She hosted many happy family gatherings there.

Peg left the North Shore for a short time, to spend some time with her son James in Colorado. It was there she met and married Gene Stroud. They enjoyed landscaping their Colorado home and going for softserve ice cream dates. Peg and Gene enjoyed several trips in their camping van to the Homestead. After Gene passed away, Peg again returned “home” to Minnesota.

Captain Peg is survived by her siblings, Edie Taapa of Grand Portage, Lee Oberg of Tacoma, Washington and Stuart Oberg of Minneapolis; children Donald (Ellie) of Lakeville, MN, Debbie (Arnold) Lundstrom of Tower, MN, Dennis (Kristin) of Virginia, MN, Dori Hill of Superior, WI, and James (Cheryl) of Brighton, CO; many grandchildren and many, many great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She is preceded by her parents; sisters Roberta, Patricia, Dottie, and Andrea; and the love of her life, husband Gene Stroud.

Peg will be remembered for her extensive knowledge of Cook County history; her sometimes brutal honesty, infectious (often loud) laugh, and fierce love for family. She will be missed. Smooth seas, Captain.

A celebration of life will be held at the Homestead by Five Mile Rock at a later date.