Services for Peggy Stuart of Trenton will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2002 at the St. Philip’s Episcopal Church in Trenton. There is no scheduled visitation.
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Services for Peggy Stuart of Trenton will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2002 at the St. Philip’s Episcopal Church in Trenton. There is no scheduled visitation.
The body has been cremated. The family has requested no flowers and have asked for memorial contributions to the church, the Grundy County Museum, the Grundy County-Jewett Norris Library or the American Cancer Society.
Beatrice Bowne McVay was born in Trenton in the original Wright Hospital on July 17, 1917. She was the second child and only daughter of Beatrice Bowne McVay and Donald C. McVay. She was designated Peggy by her Grandmother Bowne to distinguish her from her mother, Beatrice.
Peggy attended Trenton schools: first grade at Central, grades two through six at Norton, junior high at Central and high school, which is now the former Adams Middle School. The family home was at 614 DeBolt St. She spent her summers at Port Franks, Ontario, where the family had a cottage.
Peggy’s sophomore year of high school was spent in Washington D.C., where Mr. McVay was on the staff of Arthur M. Hyde, Secretary of Agriculture during the Herbert Hoover Administration.
Following graduation from Trenton High School in 1935, Peggy attended Trenton Junior College (now North Central Missouri College) for one year. She attended the University of Missouri three years and graduated with a bachelor of science in education. While in college, Peggy lettered as a member of the Rifle Team. She was a member of Kappa Kappa Gamma social sorority.
Peggy taught third grade for two years each at Marceline and Hannibal. When a teacher in the Trenton School System was required to resign because she was being married, Peggy took her position. This was at the beginning of World War II.
Peggy returned to Washington D.C., where her brother was stationed and did secretarial work for two years for the War Production Board. Later she went to New York City and worked two years in the reservations office of Capital Airlines.
World War II ended and in 1946, Peggy returned to live in Trenton. She was in many Trenton organizations. Peggy was elected president of the Riverside Country Club twice, the only woman to hold that position. She was past president of the Wright Memorial Hospital Auxiliary and the Shakespearean Circle. She was active in the Partners for Growth Campaign to raise funds for NCMC.
Peggy was a member of the St. Philip’s Episcopal Church. She was active in the church and the Women’s Auxiliary/Guild all her life.
A life-long Republican, Peggy served as chairman of the Republican Women and was chairman of the Grundy County Republicans.
Peggy’s DAR ancestor was Benjamin Gardiner from her mother’s side. Gardiner’s Island, just off Long Island in New York, was obtained by Lion Gardiner in 1639 when Charles I of England signed the land grant. The island is still owned by Gardiner descendants. Peggy was a 50-year member of the Dorcas Richardson Chapter and was a past regent. She served in many other capacities and was National Defense Chairman, a position she held for many years.
Peggy has two sons, William Bowne Stuart of Seattle, WA, and Andrew McVay Stuart of Trenton. She also has seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.