Peggy Jean Carothers

Peggy Jean McCurdy Carothers was born on July 4th, 1938 in a house in Commerce, Texas to Herschel and Pauline McCurdy. God graciously relieved all her pain and took her to be with Him in Dallas, Texas on March 25th, 2016, at the age of 77.

Peggy is survived by her husband of 55 years, Charlie Carothers, and their loving daughter, Lori Carothers. She is also survived by her sister, Margie Shaw; sister and brother-in-law, Lynda and Don Walker; cousin, Marline Thomas; best friend, Jane Nix; dear friend, Michelle Klee; and a host of cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.

Peggy attended grade school and high school in Commerce. It was at Commerce High School that she first met Charles (Charlie), and they had their first date as seniors to the junior-senior banquet and prom. It was a double date with Arlen Scoggins and Kathy Philpot. Arlen and Kathy later married as well. These two couples (being good Baptists and not of the dancing persuasion) did not attend the dance that followed the banquet. They instead went to the Dairy Queen in Commerce afterward for a Coke. Due to the quite sloped parking spaces at the Dairy Queen, Arlen’s ineptness with the stick shift transmission in his car, and perhaps a very slight bit of clumsiness on Charles’ part, he managed to spill most of his Coke on her fancy dress. In spite of this unfortunate beginning, Charles and Peggy dated all four years at ETSU, and then married on a Friday, August 13, 1960 in the Congregational Methodist Church in Commerce. The ceremony was performed by her pastor, Brother Pittman, while her uncle, Marlin Gilmer, sang for the service. It was one of those wonderful life-changing days.

After their marriage, Charles and Peggy lived in Houston the first year. Charles attended Rice University, and Peggy taught at Kelso Elementary School. The next year they moved to Dallas where Charles first served in the Air Force Reserve, then began a career with various technology companies while Peggy taught second and third grade for Mesquite ISD.

In the summers during the early 1960’s, Peggy stayed with her parents in Commerce and worked on her master’s degree. She received her master’s degree in Library Science somewhere in that timespan.

Mostly because several of Peggy’s relatives attended there, Charles and Peggy began attending Orchard Hills Baptist Church in Garland where they both sang in the adult choir. On March 15, 1964 they both went forward to accept Christ as their Savior. Another life-changing day! In 1982 they moved their membership to Lakeside Baptist Church in Dallas, where they’ve enjoyed a marvelous group of friends.

In 1961, Peggy had a tubal (also known as ectopic) pregnancy, and the resulting surgery reduced her odds of ever conceiving another child to about 25%. In spite of this, on September 8th, 1967, they were excited to welcome a daughter, Lori Susan Carothers, into this world. Yet another marvelous life-changing day.

Peggy loved God and His Word. She especially loved the Psalms, and Psalm 56:3 was one of her favorite verses. From the NAS, “When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You.”