Peg Imhoff, who worked for the Twins for 42 years as a press box attendant at Met Stadium, the Metrodome and Target Field, died Thursday morning from cancer. She was 79.
Imhoff was with the team until August, when she was hospitalized. She later went into hospice care.
"Peg Imhoff was among most beloved employees in Twins history," team President David St. Peter tweeted. "Her class set a standard for press box hospitality across MLB. God bless Peg!"
On her Caring Bridge site, Imhoff's daughter Joyce Jakel posted: "Mom died peacefully in her sleep this morning with [Peg's son] Jeff and I by her side. We are saddened by the speed this cancer took away our mom but are happy that she is at peace and reunited with our dad. Our sincere thanks to everyone for their love and support throughout this time."
The Twins issued a release which called Imhoff "the team's first and only press box ambassador" and read in part: "Peg, who was known for her glowing smile and kindness, was a committed employee of 42 years. She was a true representative of the Minnesota Twins character and dedicated her life to baseball."
Twins radio broadcaster Cory Provus tweeted, "I'll miss this woman dearly. Love you, Peg."
TV broadcaster Bert Blyleven tweeted, "Early this morning the Good Lord took a wonderful and kind woman to heaven. She will be missed. RIP Peg."
Four years ago, when Yankees star Mariano Rivera was in his final season, he met with team employees at every major league park the team visited. Imhoff was one of the 14 people chosen by the Twins to talk with the future Hall of Famer.
"I appreciated him talking about his ministry, that God had a plan for him," she told the Star Tribune's Jim Souhan. "I sincerely believe that for myself. I never applied for this job, and here I am 38 years later, and it's the steam behind the Twins that keeps me going. I'm very lucky. I was flattered as all get-out to be included in such a wonderful group of people. Think about the years of baseball that were in that room."
