Their Stories

Peg Stewart

From Inventions to Reinvention

I sat across the room from 61-year-old Peg Stewart, publisher and editor of The Green Tree Times, a small community paper in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She navigated three yellow cats on the way to her chair. Behind her, lined up along the living room wall, row after row of ceramic cats smiled down at us. This is a woman who loves cats. And people. That’s a clue to her reinvention over ten years ago when, in her words, she was “fat, fifty-one and fired!”

I loved people and figuring out what made them tick, so I thought psychological research would be a good career path. But, like many college educated women in the 1950s and 60s, I married, had two sons and was required to be a stay-at-home mom by my husband.

As a way to earn money and keep my mind challenged, I began doing technical writing from home. While my boys were in school, I pounded out research reports of new inventions by other people who had gone after their dreams. I couldn’t help wondering if my time would ever come. Then, in the early 80s, my marriage collapsed and I became a single parent. I was pretty angry.

I really had to earn my way now, so I kept churning out reports about other peoples’ inventions. But, just for fun, I also started writing freelance articles for a local paper. I got to meet people and write positive articles about their contributions to the community. What a kick!

In 1991, I got an unexpected gift—I lost my technical writing job. It was a shock but it turned out to be the best thing that could have happened. It opened up room for an unanticipated career. The community paper I had been writing for had just gone up for sale. Could I? Yes!

I bought the paper and started learning newspaper publishing by doing. How do you paste up a newspaper? How do you sell ads? How do you manage writers and respond to the community? Help kept appearing just at the right time. With a small group of dedicated people, we pulled all-nighters to get the paper out. I was suddenly tapping into my passion.

I saw how this type of newspaper can make a big difference in people’s lives. When you spotlight someone who has done something good for the community, it’s a validation for them. Big daily papers rarely have room for that kind of news. I quickly realized my mission—connect with people and tell their stories.

I’ve gained a more fulfilling life because I was willing to take a chance and change directions. Now, I’m able to weave my love of people and writing into a new career—publishing. I would say, if you’re not happy with your life, be open to your passion. And don’t be surprised if it takes you down a path very different than you had envisioned.

Read more about Peg’s transformation and how she helped Bryant chart her course in Journeys: 50,000 Miles of Wise Women.