Peggy was born in Brooklyn, New York on February 20, 1925, the youngest of three children. She graduated from Riverside School of Nursing in Yonkers, New York in 1946, and married Robert Woods in 1947. Bob and Peggy lived in Ossining, NY and had two children, Paul and Margaret (Marnie), born in 1948 and 1951. Bob died in 1951 at the age of 31, leaving Peggy a widow at only 26. Peggy was a feminist ahead of her time, raising two small children on her own in the 1950’s with no financial assistance, never remarrying because she wanted to maintain her independence. In 1958 Peggy and the kids moved to Michigan to be near her sister Mary. She lived ten years each in St. Johns and Haslett, and spent forty years in her cozy home in Lansing where she enjoyed her garden and her neighbors. In 2017 she sold her home and moved back to St. Johns, where she made new friends and enjoyed her lovely apartment at Clinton Commons Senior Retirement Community.
Peggy worked as a Registered Nurse at both St. Lawrence and Sparrow Hospitals, and in 1987 retired from the Employee Health Screening Unit of the State of Michigan, after ten years there and forty-one years of nursing.
Peggy loved reading and belonged to several book clubs. She was an avid walker and walked at least four miles a day until her late 80’s, even hiking in Bryce Canyon at 80, shortly after knee replacement. Peggy loved animals and was known for rescuing strays, with several becoming longtime cherished pets: her dog Danny, cats Nemo and Gizmo, and her cat Patches, her companion for the last seven years. Peggy volunteered for several years as a docent at Potter Park Zoo. In 2016, she volunteered for a week at the beautiful Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah, and in 2017 enjoyed a visit to The Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keenesboro, Colorado.
Until recently, Peggy made annual trips to Texas to visit her son Paul in San Antonio and granddaughter Ravine in Austin, and to California to visit her sister Mary. Peggy went on many Elderhostel (now Road Scholar) trips throughout the U.S., often inter-generational trips accompanied by her grandson Zach. She loved traveling with her daughter Marnie on road trips all over the country, especially to the southwest. Peggy’s first overseas trip was in 1982, when she flew to India to spend a month with Marnie in India and Nepal. She loved it so much that she continued traveling internationally to Mexico, Central America, Europe, Thailand, Australia, and New Zealand. She also hosted many visitors from other countries in her home through Friendship Force International.
Peggy was an exceptionally kind and loving person. At the age of 94 she had already lost many of her dearest friends, but she continued to make new friends and to bring love wherever she went. Always positive and with a lovely smile, Peggy will be remembered as a sweet and caring friend to all who knew her, and as a very special mother and grandmother to her family, who will miss her dearly.
Surviving to cherish her memory are her son Paul and daughter-in law Shar Woods of San Antonio, Texas; daughter Marnie and son-in-law Jay Masters of Grand Ledge; grandchildren Zach Masters and fiancée Micah Neiman, and Ravine Woods and fiancé Lester Jones; and great-grandchildren Max Martin and Ireland Cole; as well as nieces and nephews and their children and grandchildren. Preceding Peggy in death were her parents Harvey and Alice Knox (Manson), husband Robert Woods, brother Harvey Knox, and sister Mary Larson.
The family would like to thank Hospice of Lansing and Stoneleigh Residence for their care and compassion. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made on Peggy’s behalf to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, bestfriends.org, where Peggy’s ashes will be scattered with love.
Memories and online condolences may be shared with the family at dignitymemorial.com.
A celebration of Peggy’s life will be held on July 21, 2019 at 2:00 at Unity Church of Lansing, 230 S. Holmes Street, Lansing MI 48912, where Peggy was a devoted member.
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