Peggy Mcguire Boggs

Peggy McGuire Boggs, 85, of Topeka, went to be with her Lord and Savior on Thursday, December 12, 2013. She was born in Ashland, Kentucky, to Fred A. and Alleine Vance McGuire on May 19, 1928. Peggy married John M. Boggs, Jr., on December 10, 1951.

Peggy was valedictorian of her high school class. She was a double major, receiving her Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and her Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from Eastern Kentucky University in 1949. While at Eastern, Peggy was active in band (trombone), orchestra (violin), chorus, and many other student organizations.

In Peggy and John's early years of marriage they worked in education in Kentucky. Peggy was chosen to be a school administrator at 22 years of age.

When she and her husband moved to southern Ohio for John to work in the Goodyear Atomic facility in 1953, Peggy went back to the classroom, traveling to five different grade schools each day in Pike County, Ohio.

The births of their two children, in 1956 and 1962, fragmented her career to some degree, since she believed in "staying home with the children until they were in school." She occupied herself teaching private piano lessons (son in the playpen) and with professional organizations such as Delta Kappa Gamma, American Association of University Women, etc. Peggy found great outlets for her musical expertise from Portsmouth to Chillicothe. She conducted the Messiah one Easter with the Chancel Choir at First Presbyterian in Chillicothe, Ohio, that was nationally broadcast and received many accolades.

After numerous requests, she substituted in classrooms in Piketon and Chillicothe, Ohio, and began work on her Master's Degree. After graduating with her Master's Degree in Music Education from Ohio State University in 1965 she began teaching at Ohio University at their branch campus in Chillicothe, Ohio. She instructed a gamut of music education, music theory, theatre, band, orchestra, private lessons, and piano, always her forte.

In 1972, Goodyear asked John and Peggy to relocate to the plant in Topeka. Peggy went into real estate, starting with residential properties, farms, then achieving every residential sales designation available at the time. She became a broker, started her own company, Peggy Boggs and Co., and enjoyed that endeavor as well.

She decided to run and was elected to the USD 501 School Board, for which she served eight years. She was president of the board at the time of the 25th anniversary of Brown vs. Board. She cherished that opportunity to work with the patrons of the USD 501 district, and wished the best for them in future decisions.

She suffered tuberculosis when she was seven years old, needed to be calm and quiet, and so entertained herself by playing the piano. Because of this early experience, she could sight-read almost any piece of music, and she and her sister, Patricia Nunley, have performed many times for various organizations, playing one-piano, four-hands, a very enjoyable experience for the audience as well as the performers.

She played weddings, funerals, and was asked to perform at a tea in Washington, D.C. for the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Continental Congress, an organization with which she served many enjoyable years. As always, she took any appointment very seriously, and threw herself into the Program Committee, Nominating Committee, various state offices, and was Regent of the Topeka Chapter when in 1996 our chapter hosted the 100th anniversary of the founding of that chapter, the oldest in the state, which coincided with the founding of the state organization, as well as the incorporation by an Act of Congress for the national organization. Locally, our chapter sponsored a special tea held at the Governor's Mansion, replete with period costumes, and a play written by Peggy and her daughter, which was performed for many years. Peggy won a national award for that play, based on the history of DAR.

After her husband's retirement, she and John continued to volunteer for the Red Cross, travelling to natural disasters all over the country. They were a great team, as Peggy was a superb administrator, and John was great at getting even the most proud and reticent rural dweller to accept a cup of coffee, or maybe a meal. Sometimes together, sometimes not, as health issues began to infringe, they would travel to at least 20 disasters - tornados, hurricanes, train derailments, floods, and the NYC 9/11 disaster (21 days without a day off!). She always discussed how satisfying the work was, exhausting, but worth it. Peggy also enjoyed running precincts during many election seasons.

Peggy was preceded in death by her parents, Fred and Alleine Vance McGuire, an infant sister and brother, Alta Jane McGuire and Thurston Elwood McGuire, and her husband, John M. Boggs, Jr.

She is survived by her children, Jayne Boggs Varney (Roger Thomas), John Marvin Boggs III (Margaret [Meg]), grandchildren, John Marvin Boggs IV (Ian), Alexandra Claire Boggs Varney, Nathaniel Bowe Boggs, Thomas Vance Boggs Varney, and Margaret Clair Boggs. Also surviving are her sisters, Patricia Nunley and Alfreda Beaver.

Services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, December 19, 2013, at Penwell-Gabel Mid-Town Chapel, 1321 SW 10th Avenue, Topeka, Kansas. Burial will follow at Mount Hope Cemetery, Topeka, Kansas.

Peggy will lie in state after 3:00 p.m. Wednesday, December 18, 2013, at the funeral home, where the family will receive friends from 5:00–8:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to the American Red Cross, 1221 SW 17th Street, Topeka, KS 66604 or American Heart Association, 5375 SW 7th St, Topeka, KS 66606.