A Bolingbrook Love Story: Chuck and Peggy Danhof

Editor's note: As Valentine's Day approaches, we will post love stories of Bolingbrook couples. This story originally was posted in 2011, written by Toni Greathouse. Chuck Danhof died in December at the age of 68. We're re-posting in honor of the Danhof's relationship and their commitment to Bolingbrook. 

Chuck and Peggy Danhof are well-known names in the Bolingbrook community. 

Before his death in December, Chuck Danhof was involved with the Bolingbrook Jaycees, the Bolingbrook Parade Committee, Junior Miss, the Bolingbrook Greycore and the Bolingbrook Lions Club. 

Peggy Danhof was honored with the 2012 Bolingbrook Area Chamber of Commerce Lifetime Achievement Award. She has served on the Fountaindale Public Library Board of Trustees for 19 years and is president. She has also served as DuPage Township Supervisor, Bolingbrook Village Trustee and has been active in "dozens of committees and organizations," according to her bio. 

The Danhofs were married for 46 years. They were the cliché "love-at-first-sight" couple.

"I was 13, and Chuck was 14," Peg said. "We lived in Muskegon, Mich., and we both played in the 8th grade band. There was just something about him. He looked so cute playing that tuba that I couldn’t resist."

Chuck was also smitten. Unbeknown to Peg, her antics to disrupt class simply to gain his attention had been working but not with her teacher. Before long the girl who frequently disrupted class found herself in a precarious position.

After coming down with an appendicitis attack in class, her band teacher ignored Peg’s pleas. Realizing she was in severe distress, Chuck stood up for her and helped her to the nurse’s office where she was immediately rushed to the hospital.

The unfortunate incident solidified the pair's friendship, which turned romantic when both were allowed to date at 16. Pledging their undying love at the tender age of 18, Chuck and Peg chose to attend the same college and married soon after graduation.

"Our marriage has lasted a long time because we have a lot in common," Peg said. "We were friends first, came from the same background and understood life is a give-or-take proposition. It hasn’t always been easy because we haven’t always gotten along, but we’ve always been committed to working out our problems together."

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