Duggan's | Obituaries List

Margaret Teresa Cronin, 97, of Millbrae, California, passed away peacefully on September 20, 2026, leaving behind a lifetime of family, friends, patients, and others whose lives were touched by her remarkable gift for caring.

Margaret was born on July 26, 1929, in Coalisland, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, to Alphonsus and Mary Corr. She attended Mount Lourdes Boarding School in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, before completing her nursing training in Stratford-upon-Avon, England. Nursing became not simply her profession, but a calling that would define much of her life. She began her career in England, continued it in Canada, and eventually made her way to San Francisco, where she spent 35 years at St. Mary’s Hospital caring for generations of patients with compassion, dedication, and an unmistakable strength of character.

In 1956, Margaret married the love of her life, Jeremiah “Jerry” Cronin, at St. Agnes Church in San Francisco. Together they settled in Millbrae in 1963, where they raised their family and made a home filled with love, faith, and Irish tradition. Margaret remained a devoted parishioner of St. Dunstan Church for more than 60 years, becoming a familiar and cherished presence in the parish community.

Margaret was deeply proud of her Irish heritage. She was a founding and longtime member of the United Irish Cultural Center in San Francisco, where she enjoyed the friendships, music, dancing, and traditions that kept her connection to Ireland alive.

She had a wonderful sense of humor and a personality that was distinctly her own. Margaret was never one to shy away from speaking her mind—and you didn’t ask Margaret a question unless you were prepared to hear the answer. Her family will remember her not only for her compassion and strength, but for her quick wit, honesty, and the laughter she brought into their lives.

Above all, Margaret was devoted to her family. She was a loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother who took great pride in the lives of those who came after her. She is survived by her three children, Bartholomew Kevin Cronin (Patricia), Alphonsus Cronin (Mary), and Julie Peralta (Kenneth); seven grandchildren, Briana Cronin Clifford (Kevin), Meagan Cronin Thompson (Mark), Alyse Cronin Polman (David), Brian Cronin, Aiden Cronin, Jeremiah Peralta, and Elaine Peralta; and five great-grandchildren, Jeremiah and Penelope Thompson, and Milo, Ronan, and Angus Clifford.

She was predeceased by her parents, Alphonsus and Mary Corr; her son, Jeremiah Richard Patrick Cronin; her brothers, Enda, Francis, and Alphonsus; and her sisters, Jane (Sister Dolores), Marie Cullen, Philomena O’Donnell, and Bridget McAndrew.

Margaret’s life was one of service, faith, family, and love. She came from County Tyrone, built a life an ocean away, and spent more than seven decades caring for others. To those who knew her best, she was, is, and will always be a nurse—a woman whose instinct was to care, whose strength carried her family through difficult times, and whose presence will remain part of the lives of all who loved her.

Viewing will be held Tuesday, September 29, at 10:00 a.m., followed by one decade of the Rosary at 10:30 a.m. and the Funeral Mass at 11:00 a.m. at St. Dunstan Church, 1133 Broadway, Millbrae. A reception will follow the Mass. Private family interment will take place at Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma.

Livestream Link to Funeral Mass: https://www.youtube.com/live/qBYnYpntAcY

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions to The Missionaries of Charity, also known as the Sisters of Mother Teresa, in Margaret’s memory.