For anyone who's ever asked Peg Dumbaugh for help, they know she's like the Energizer Bunny - she keeps on going and going and going until she gets the job done.

It's that unwavering dedication that has made Dumbaugh a favorite in the community, especially with the Butler School District.

During the past 50 years, Dumbaugh has been a parent volunteer, teacher, public relations director/administrator, Butler school board member, co-chair of the Butler Golden Tornado Foundation's "Visions" campaign and a board member of the foundation.

Recently, Dumbaugh announced she was stepping down from her position on the foundation board.

The announcement came as a shock to those who have worked with Dumbaugh for many years. All have said she will be sadly missed.

"I've been working with her since 1992, but I've known her a lot longer than that," said Lisa Konesni, a fellow foundation board member. "Through my experience of working with her, I just really came to admire her."

Konesni graduated high school with Dumbaugh's daughter, Kerry, and also served with Dumbaugh on the Butler School Board.

Konesni said it was her experience with Dumbaugh that led her to ask Dumbaugh to serve as a co-chair for the foundation's Visions campaign in 2000.

"I asked, Peg considered it and I held my breath the entire time, knowing if she said yes, I'd get 150 percent from her," Konesni said.

"I knew she'd do her homework. She always pays very close attention to detail, and that's the kind of thing that can make or break an event."

Konesni isn't the only one who feels strongly about Dumbaugh's work in the community.

"Peg perseveres, and has very high standards, so it's been very good to work with her because I share those standards," said Dale Lumley, Butler Senior High School principal.

Lumley has worked with Dumbaugh for 13 years on the Butler Distinguished Graduate Award. The foundation is involved in the award every year.

Bill Gehring, a former student of Dumbaugh's, said she is one of only three teachers who made a positive impact on him in his high school years.

When Gehring attended Butler Senior High School in 1964-65, Dumbaugh taught honors English.

"She's one of three teachers I remember fondly," he said. "She just made the material come alive."

Gehring joked as he said Dumbaugh often "tricked" her students into being interested in the types of serious literature she taught them.

"She made us want to read it and study it and learn more," he said.

Dumbaugh's daughter also is very proud of her work in the community and particularly with education.

"She's always so dedicated that she really puts me to shame with the amount of attention she pays to detail," Kerry Dumbaugh said. "As a daughter, one of the things that is so inspiring is her integrity. She never tries to shade the truth about anything."

Of all the things her mother has done, what stands out in Kerry Dumbaugh's mind is her mother's time as the public relations director for the Butler School District.

"She did not have a crisis attitude with public relations," Kerry Dumbaugh said. "She didn't believe in waiting for a fire to happen so she could put it out."

Kerry Dumbaugh said her mother believed in promoting the good things about the school district, including making it easier for parents to voice concerns and get questions answered.

In 1997, Congressman Phil English had a tribute to Dumbaugh entered into the Congressional Record, commending her for her many years of dedication and service.

Konesni said it's going to be a hard job filling Dumbaugh's place on the foundation board.

"As far as I'm concerned, she's irreplaceable," Konesni said.