In Memory of Longtime York Supporter, Peggy Downes Baskin

Fostering a relationship with York for over 45 years, Peggy served on the York Board of Trustees, was a parent and grandparent of alumni, (her daughter, Cammy Torgenrud, was a longtime York faculty member), and was married to former Head of School, Chuck Downes, with whom she shared a deep commitment to diversity in education. In a 2010 interview with York alumna Cat Nelson ’05, Peggy fondly recalled Chuck “walking door to door in the community, actively recruiting prospective students outside of the traditional small college preparatory school demographic.” “It was one of the missions he was worried might fail, and he wanted to see it go on,” she said.

Later, Peggy and her late husband Jack Baskin honored Chuck’s legacy through their long-term and generous support of York’s scholarship program. Over the course of their lifetime, Peggy and Jack contributed more than one million dollars to York, including the establishment of the Peggy Downes Baskin Scholarship Endowment, which focuses specifically on assisting young women of single mothers, a cause that was near and dear to Peggy’s heart. Peggy, herself, was raised by a single mother who fostered her daughter’s education and ambitions during a time when, as Peggy said, “women were more fit to be mothers and wives.” Advancing education opportunities for young women became a central issue for Peggy in her philanthropic efforts and especially at York.

After obtaining a Bachelor of Arts from Vassar College, a PhD from the Claremont Graduate School of Public Policy, and performing post-doctoral research at the University of California at Berkeley (all with the help of scholarships), Peggy committed her 33-year career to education, including teaching political science at Santa Clara University for 18 years and spending 5 years as a senior lecturer at the University of California at Santa Cruz.  She authored five books and numerous articles concerning women and politics, spoke nationally about women CEOs in Silicon Valley, and established scholarship opportunities for women at Cabrillo College, California State University Monterey Bay, and Monterey Peninsula College.  In addition to being a York Trustee from 2006-2013 (and then named Trustee Emerita), Peggy served on the Boards of the Women’s Fund of the Community Foundation for Monterey County, Monterey Peninsula College, California State University Monterey Bay, and Cabrillo College.

Her daughter, Cammy, wishes to share with the York community that Peggy took her last breaths in the comfort of her home with Cammy; her son Scott Dewar, York Class of ’74; and other loved ones by her side.  Of her mother’s work and character, Cammy said: “Always focused on mentoring others, particularly young women, she was a dynamic, intelligent and spirited woman! What a life she led.”

We are grateful for the profoundly positive impact Peggy had on York and the larger community.