Margaret Elizabeth Sinclair Sturkey

Margaret "Peggy" Sturkey was born Margaret Elizabeth Sinclair on June 4, 1922 in Danbury Virginia to Donald and Ethel Sinclair. Joined 5 years later by her brother Don, the two siblings lived out their childhoods in Hickory, North Carolina. Peggy was surrounded by the love and support of a large extended family during the hardships of the Great Depression. Through her mother's sacrifices, Peggy was given opportunity to study and excel in all forms of dance, art and music through out her grade-school and high school years. Enjoying her college years, she was popular among her peers and received accolades for her beauty, talent and character. Peggy attended Lenoir-Rhyne Women's College, where, at a school dance, she fell in love with and later married James Milton Sturkey, a student from neighboring North Carolina State University. Jim, a Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Navy during World War II, graduated college with a degree in Chemical Engineering.

Following the war, Jim and Peggy settled in Seattle Washington where their three daughters, Jean Marie, Margaret Rose "Meg" and Janet Ann were born. While Jim built his career, Peggy, a loving wife and Mother was devoted to caring for her family. The quintessential '50's homemaker, she baked bread, gardened and sewed all clothing for herself and for her daughters. She was an arts and crafts enthusiast, delighting friends and family alike with the products of her creative efforts. With love and patience Peggy taught these same skills to Jean, Meg and Jan. Peggy also mentored for her daughters the value of service to others, teaching Sunday School for years at Sand Point Methodist Church, serving often as Camp Fire Girl leader and was consistently the "Room Mother" for her daughters' grade-school classes at View Ridge Elementary School, sharing her artistic talents.

Throughout her adult life Peggy longed for a career in fashion design and, as her daughters grew older, she learned to design and create original clothing with the knitting machine, eventually teaching both hand and machine knitting, professionally.

Widowed in 1967, Peggy - who grieved deeply the loss of her husband - rebuilt her life, working full time as a bookkeeper to support her family. In spite of her full time work schedule, Peggy continued to advance her sewing and knitting skills - so much so that while shopping, she could study a designer suit then return home easily drafting and creating for herself a similar version, fitting perfectly. Although Peggy's professional fashion design dreams were never realized she found satisfaction in teaching design skills and creating fashions for herself and for her family.

After daughters married and grandchildren followed, Peggy shared her love and devotion with another generation by becoming a doting grandmother to Seth, Paul, Christine, Laura, Trevor, Sascha, Amarah and Elizabeth. Retiring at age 62, Peggy enjoyed expanding her love of arts and crafts to include activities with her grandchildren. In fact her greatest joy in retirement was time spent with her grandchildren, AND her great grandchildren - Shawn, Matilda and Seth Jr.

"Grandma Peggy" is remembered for everything from her insatiable love of chocolate, her mischievous sense of humor, to teaching how not to fear one's own shadow. She made every holiday magical and each passing season an adventure of joy and wonder. But her greatest gift was her constant, unconditional love.

Peggy found ongoing strength from her childlike faith in Christ. She knew Jesus to be loving, accessible and full of mercy and compassion. She relayed this deep, grace filled experience of God's love to us every day, through her words and deeds - ever inspiring each one of us along our own spiritual journey.