Peggy Ann Compton Bray Harbin

In one of Peggy’s journals, she wrote, “As for me, not a ‘wake’ but a going away party – My obituary: Peggy Ann Compton Bray Harbin, born August 22, 1943, born again in 1952, died [June 3, 2026]. She loved God (and was so blessed by Him), her family, and friends. She was a busy body.”

And she was busy–busy loving and serving others; busy taking care of her husband, family, friends, and her church; busy reading, teaching, planting and growing, making us laugh, talking, sharing her stories, and giving advice (the good stuff, the deep stuff, the funny stuff, the vulnerable stuff that most folks might not share, the real stuff); busy enjoying her people and running the roads (her words); busy editing others’ writing; busy taking pictures and organizing photos (and photo shopping them with scissors, glue, and copy machine before there was photoshop); busy walking, cooking, sewing, painting, helping, attending games and celebrations, playing with grandkids and great grandkids and nieces and nephews, gathering articles about her interests and others, and sending cards; busy being thankful and joyful, forgiving and asking forgiveness; busy learning scripture, praying, and writing.

Peggy wrote, “I love the written word. I love paper and ink. Yes, Eudora Welty, I can still hear your voice saying, ‘I hate that electric typewriter. It hums and waits for me.’ I bear even more animosity toward computers. What I have typed goes away. I don’t know where it went, nor how to bring it back. The written word stays with me.” She took notes, wrote letters, and journaled. She was exactly who she was out loud as she was in the quiet pages of her thoughts, struggles, victories, daily life, and prayers. Peggy’s written words stay with us.

Peggy laughed. It was contagious. She smiled not as one who had no troubles but as one who rested ever so faithfully in the sovereignty of God. She laughed easily at herself, her mistakes, and her antics. She laughed with others at every moment of joy in their lives. She laughed with her grandkids. She made us laugh. She had joy. She taught with it. She served with it. She worked with it. She even cried with it. She shared that joy. She lived it. She walked in a room with it. She kept that beautiful smile to the end when she could no longer talk. Peggy’s joy stays with us.

Peggy taught. She was good at it. She loved teaching and her students. It was one of the joys in her life. She taught English, Spanish, yearbook, (science early on in her career), sponsored First Priority, and taught people to write and to love literature. She taught God’s word to youth and ladies in all stages of life. She studied scripture, another joy in her life (drawers full of bible study notes, sermon notes, handwritten scripture passages, and Sunday School lessons). She was constantly learning and teaching. She taught in class and in life. She taught by example with consistency. She taught with humor. She told us stories, life lessons, acted out scenarios, prayed with us, called us, and left us messages. Peggy’s spoken words stay with us.

Peggy prayed. She knew God. She wanted everyone she came in contact with to know Him. She constantly shared new things she learned that God showed her via scripture, a sermon, or a friend. She asked Him to know her, search her, and to help her. Peggy wrote, “Father, I love YOU. I can’t think what life–my life would be apart from YOU. You are the only I AM who always was and will be. Thank You for my salvation through Jesus Christ. Please help me submit to YOUR Holy Spirit.” She knew God is good, merciful, forgiving, a waymaker, a comfort, a help, and sovereign over all. That is why she did not worry. That is why she loved others. That is why she had peace. When her memories were fading, she still had stories about sharing that Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. She was peaceful to the end. She constantly prayed for her husband, her kids, her family, and her church. If you knew her, she prayed for you. She was a secret keeper, but she talked to the Lord for you. There are years of prayers for her family in her journals. . . “Dear Father, for my children Johnny, Debra, Patti, DeAnn and Paula–and all grand and great to be ‘til Jesus comes, I pray–I Chronicles 29:19 prayer they they will know You and serve You that You will give to [them] a perfect heart to keep thy commandments, and thy statutes. With a thankful heart, Peggy Harbin” “Isaiah 44, Jeremiah 29, Matthew 6:33 Lord, I ask You to pour out Your Spirit on my offspring and your blessing on my descendants.” Peggy’s prayers stay with us, over us, in us.

She stays with us.

“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you stand firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen.” 1 Peter 5:10-11

“Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings. I cling to you; your right hand upholds me.” Psalms 63: 7-8

“Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, my God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your mighty acts to all who are to come.” Psalms 71:18

Peggy was preceded in death by her father, Brooks Compton; her mother, Lavern Compton; and her husband, Johnny Harbin. She is survived by her children: Patti Presnall (Alex), Paula Stanbridge (JJ), Johnny Harbin,Jr., Debra Harbin, and DeAnn Harbin; her grandchildren, Jilian Harbin (Matt Tindall), Micheal Harbin (Yara Dobrescu-Harbin), Mitchell Presnall (Jessica), Landon Presnall (Jordan), Olivia Presnall, Joshua Stanbridge (Rachel), Ann Marie Stanbridge, and Kara Stanbridge; her great-grandchildren: Maddalyn, Isabella, Caden, Josephine, Luna, Elowyn, Isla, Ariel, and Alia, sisters Sharon Whatley and Sherry Warren and a host of relatives and friends.

Funeral services will be held from the chapel of Radney Funeral Home in Saraland on Saturday, June 13, 2026, at 2 pm with Peggy’s pastor, Stephen Newport opening in prayer and her son-in-law, JJ Stanbridge, officiating. Visitation will be 12-2 with interment following the service at Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens.

Serving as pallbearers will be Mitchell Presnall, Landon Presnall, Joshua Stanbridge, Andrew Warren, Aaron Warren, and Pastor Stephen Newport.