Peggy Juanita (Nelson) Laird

Peggy Juanita Laird, 74, went to meet the Lord in perfect peace on Sunday, January 21, 2024. She was at home resting after a beautiful day spent with her husband and friends, when her heart simply tired out, and her body went to sleep.

Peggy was raised in Tujunga, CA with her identical twin sister Pam, and sister Jeanne. At the age of 12, she was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, at a time when very little was known about the disease. She was told by her childhood doctor that she would not live past the age of 60, would never bear children, and would suffer many complications from her disease. She was bound and determined to prove her doctor wrong. In high school Peggy was a cheerleader, member of many clubs and beauty queen. At the age of 15 while on vacation with her family at Antler’s Resort at Shasta Lake, CA, Peggy met her dream come true, Charles Douglas Laird. It was love at first sight. Four years later, Doug and Peggy were married. They lived in Washington State while Doug served his time in the Navy, later building a custom home in Thousand Oaks, CA. They later gave birth to two healthy daughters.

Peggy not only raised her daughters with Doug, she also pursued her passion, singing. A natural performer with the voice of an angel, she touched many lives with her God-given talent. One time while performing “O Holy Night” at a Christmas program in an indoor mall, her daughter was standing in line at the other side of the mall in line at a food stand. When Peggy hit the last “O Holy Night” high note, other patrons grew silent and commented on how her voice sounded like angels. She was the understudy to the main character Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady, performing with the Showboat Troop in Augora, CA. She was a worship leader in her church, and performed solo shows at various venues throughout the Conejo Valley in Ventura County. When given the opportunity to hit the road with her voice, she chose to stay home to continue raising her daughters and support her husband. This was a difficult decision and one she did not take lightly.

She had an incredible talent for making others feel loved and extraordinary. She was not shy about letting others know exactly how she felt. People always knew where they stood with her, and it was always coming from a place of honesty and love. She also had an impish sense of humor that kept her husband on her toes. Her cheerleading spirit extended beyond high school throughout her life with her friends and family. Peggy’s smile and laugh, warm heart, and positive attitude was an encouragement to everyone who had the privilege to know her. She was positive and chose to be happy every day of her life.

An incredibly talented cook, she loved to bake special treats and entertain family and friends with delicious feasts, and impeccable decoration. This was her language of love. She truly understood how to make others feel special. Every Christmas, families looked forward to her delicious fruitcakes and treats that she carefully packaged and mailed or delivered.

She lived her life as an artform. She surrounded herself with beautiful gardens of flowers, weaved lavender wands for friends, enjoyed watching wildlife from her patio or her swing that hung from an old oak tree in the yard. She loved spending time with family and friends, window shopping, going out to lunch, and going on walks on the beach. Peggy truly loved spending time with Doug at the local Elks Club, where they have many cherished friends. She was always available to chat on the phone, listen, and offer advice when her friends and family were in need. Peggy taught so many the meaning of love through her faith in and love of the Lord. She beat all the odds the doctor of her youth predicted, leading a beautiful life with grace and class.

Her eyes were the color of the bluest skies. On days given to us when we glimpse the sky between the clouds, we will be reminded of her beautiful smiling eyes. She is now with the Lord. She is effortlessly dancing, singing, and feasting on as much sugar as she desires. The days of balancing blood sugars and insulin are all in the past. She is surrounded by her family and friends that left here before her, and all the pets she cared for over the years. She will be forever missed by those she left behind. Her comforting voice singing “Be Happy” will forever ring in our minds on both our toughest and greatest of days.

Peggy is survived by her husband of 55 years, Doug, daughters, Shiloah and Raette, grandsons Ansen and Tristan, granddaughters McKenzie, Alexis and Raechel, sister Pamela and brother-in-law Ray, sister Jeanne, sister-in-law Sherry, nephew Danny, and nieces Theresa, Katrina, Jeannine.

A private funeral service is scheduled to take place at McDonald’s Chapel in Redding, CA on February 5, 2024, followed by a friends and family Celebration of Life hosted by the Elks Club, #1073, located at 250 Elk Dr, Redding, CA 96003, starting at 1pm.