Margaret Keller, 87

Margaret Keller, the matriarch of an extended family and a charter member of the Montauk Fire Department’s Ladies Auxiliary, died of natural causes on Sunday at Southampton Hospital. She was 87 and had lived in the same house on South Delphi Street for more than 60 years.

Mrs. Keller, who was known as Peggy, moved to Montauk with her family from Pennsylvania along with the Ecker family, who are relatives, in 1937, settling on Navy Road until the hurricane of the following year. For more than 30 years, she worked at the family restaurant, Trail’s End, which was on Fort Pond Bay until it was moved in the wake of the hurricane to its present location at South Euclid Avenue and Edgemere Road. She was a great cook whose specialties included Long Island duck.

“My mother was loved dearly by the community,” said her son, Thomas Keller of Miranda, Calif. “She was not only a mother to a family of seven children, but pretty much the whole community of Montauk. We had a large family, yet we continuously had other children at our house. Basically, she was considered a surrogate mother to many children of the community.”

Mrs. Keller, who was also a charter member of the Montauk Friends of Erin Ladies Auxiliary, was the last surviving member of a group of Montauk women who dubbed themselves the Rat Pack. The group included Ellie Prado, Sara Handrup, and Stella Stanislaw. “Very old-time Montauk,” her son said of the women.

Margaret Mary Pugh was born on April 22, 1927, in Oneida, Pa., to Joseph Pugh and the former Marie Ziegler. She was a member of East Hampton High School’s class of 1945, and married Joseph (Gil) Keller on Feb. 22 of the following year. Mr. Keller died in 2002.

In addition to her son Thomas, Mrs. Keller is survived by her children Patrick Keller, Kathleen Keller, Maureen Keller, and Mary Russell, all of Montauk, and Joseph Keller of Nobleboro, Me. A nephew also survives, as do nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. A son, Robert, died before her, as did her brother and sister, Edward Pugh and Anna Pugh.

A wake will be held today from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. at the Yardley and Pino Funeral Home in East Hampton. A funeral Mass will be said tomorrow at 11 a.m. at St. Therese of Lisieux Catholic Church in Montauk. Burial will follow at Fort Hill Cemetery, also in Montauk.

The family has suggested memorial contributions to the Montauk Fire Department’s Ambulance Company or Ladies Auxiliary, 12 Flamingo Avenue, Montauk 11954.