Cover photo for Peggy Louise Sullivan's Obituary
Peggy Louise Sullivan Profile Photo
1924 Peggy 2017

Peggy Louise Sullivan

December 13, 1924 — May 2, 2017

Peggy Rowley Sullivan died Tuesday, May 2, 2017, in Midwest City, Oklahoma, at the age of 92. She was born December 13, 1924, near Ringwood, Oklahoma, in Major County. She was the first of five children, and the only girl, born to George and Beulah Wimberly Rowley. Peggy attended Cimarron Valley Grade School through the eighth grade, graduating as valedictorian. She went to Ringwood High School, graduating as valedictorian in 1942. She was awarded several scholarships, but money was not available for her to go to college at that time. Peggy did domestic work during the summers while in high school. After graduation, she went to Wichita, Kansas, hoping to work at Boeing, to support the war effort. However, she was only seventeen, and one had to be eighteen to be employed there. So, she worked at a Kress five and dime store. At the end of the summer, she moved to Enid and worked at Southwestern Bell Telephone Company for three years, while her high school sweetheart and future husband, L M Sullivan, was with the Eighth Air Force flying missions over France and Germany, as a tail gunner in World War II. He finished his thirty-five missions and returned to the States. On March 5, 1945, Peggy and L M were married, and left within a few days for Kingman, Arizona. After three months there, L M was assigned to the air base in Las Vegas, Nevada. They lived there until he was sent to Camp Chaffee, Arkansas, to be discharged in September of 1945. They lived in Enid for short time, and then moved to Ringwood. Their first son, Michael Jon, was born in March of 1947. L M decided to go to college on the GI Bill, and they moved to Alva, where he earned his Bachelor's Degree at Northwestern State College in 1955. Peggy worked at the telephone office while they were there. His first school was at Cleo Springs, where they lived for six years. Their second son, Steven Don, was born in January of 1955. L M and Peggy accepted Christ as their Savior in the Cleo Springs Christian Church, and have been very active in their various churches ever since. Peggy began singing in the choir in 1952, and continued to sing alto in her church choirs for fifty years. The family lived in Cleo Springs, Kremlin, Boise City, Coyle, Newkirk and Harrah, as L M served the schools as their superintendent. When they moved to Coyle, L M began work on his doctorate, and Peggy began college as a freshman at Oklahoma State University at the age of thirty-seven. Both L M and Peggy commuted to Stillwater daily, Peggy by day, and L M for night classes. L M finished his doctoral work and accepted the superintendency at Newkirk Public Schools. Peggy finished her B. S. Degree in three years and graduated in the middle of August, 1965. She began teaching third graders at Newkirk the latter part of that same August. They moved to Harrah in June of 1968 where she began teaching second grade children. Peggy was chosen District Teacher of the Year in 1980, and Zone Teacher of the Year in 1984. She earned her Master's Degree and a Reading Specialist Certificate from Central State, now UCO, at Edmond. She taught remedial reading the last nine years of her career. Peggy retired from Russell Babb Elementary in 1986. She thoroughly enjoyed her teaching career, and loved the children. She was an excellent teacher. When L M and Peggy, and Steve moved to Harrah, there was no Disciples of Christ Church, so they joined the Harrah United Methodist Church, and became active in all phases of church work. Peggy sang in the choir, served as superintendent of the Sunday School, served as president of the UMW, and on numerous committees. She joined the Red Rose Garden Club in 1969, and was an active member, serving as president and on several committees. She won many ribbons for her beautiful flower arrangements, and always did her part in taking care of the flower beds at Lion's Park and at the Library. For several years, she helped take care of the roses at the Methodist Church. She was an active member of Delta Kappa Gamma International for twenty-four years. She belonged to the Oklahoma Retired Educators Association, the Oklahoma County Retired Educators Association, the Harrah Historical Society, and the Oklahoma Anthropological Society, and took an active role in all of those organizations. She and L M were avid OSU sports fans, with season tickets for football. Both were active members of the Alumni Association, and the College of Education Associates. Peggy and L M traveled extensively after their retirement. They had been in all fifty states, including Alaska, Hawaii, Canada, Mexico, Great Britain, Europe, and the Caribbean several times. In 2007, they celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary by taking their second trip to Italy. L M and Peggy decided to move to Edmond in March of 2007. They moved to Touchmark, a retirement community, which they enjoyed very much. They made many new friends and took an active part in all the activities. They transferred their membership to the First United Methodist Church in Edmond. They attended the Emmanuel Sunday School Class. Peggy joined the Wesleyan UMW and LM served on the administrative board. Peggy began singing with the Golden Harmonizers, a group from the Edmond Senior Center at Mitch Park. This group performs for nursing homes, assisted living and retirement centers in Edmond. They moved to Fountain Brook in Midwest City in March of 2016, to be closer to family. Peggy was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, and friend. Peggy was preceded in death by her parents, her husband of 71 years, and four brothers, Gene, Joe, Bill, and George. She is survived by her sons, Mick and his former wife, Marta, both of Ponca City, and Steve and his wife, Nancy, of Choctaw. Also surviving are three grandchildren, David Sullivan and his wife, Brandi, of Norman, Laura Sullivan Beckers and her husband, Oliver, of Murray, Kentucky, and Blake Sullivan of Oklahoma City. Also two great-grandsons, John and Michael Sullivan of Norman, and one great-granddaughter, Sylvia Beckers of Murray, Kentucky. Three sisters-in-law, Fern Rowley of Edmond, Willa Mae Rowley of Mustang, and Mary Lou Rowley of Portales, New Mexico and several nieces and nephews, and a host of friends. Peggy was a 'people' person who liked everyone. She had an outgoing personality and a bright smile for all those she met. She will be missed. Services will be 10:00 AM, Saturday, May 6, 2017, at the First United Methodist Church, Edmond, OK. Interment will follow at Glenwood Cemetery, Ringwood, OK, at 2:30 PM. Services are under the direction of Asa Smith Funeral Service in Harrah, OK.

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Service Schedule

Past Services

Visitation

Thursday, May 4, 2017

11:00am - 8:00 pm (Central time)

Asa Smith Funeral Service

2039 Tim Holt Drive, Harrah, OK 73045

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Visitation

Friday, May 5, 2017

8:00am - 8:00 pm (Central time)

Asa Smith Funeral Service

2039 Tim Holt Drive, Harrah, OK 73045

Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text. Standard text messaging rates apply.

Funeral Service

Saturday, May 6, 2017

Starts at 10:00 am (Central time)

Edmond First United Methodist Church

305 East Hurd Street, Edmond, OK 73034

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Interment

Saturday, May 6, 2017

Starts at 2:30 pm (Central time)

Glenwood Cemetery

, Ringwood, OK 73768

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Burial

Glenwood Cemetery

, Ringwood, OK 73768

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