“Do not go gentle into that good night. Age should burn and rave at close of day, rage, rage against the dying of the light” Dylan Thomas
Anyone who knew my mother knew she raged with sincerity for her many of her philanthropic causes, as she raged against Parkinson’s Disease for the last two years.
She is survived by her daughter, Poonam, and her three nephews.
Peggy was born to Jane and John Smith of Queens, New York on February 22, 1940. Peggy was a graduate of St. John’s University (1961) followed by a Master’s Degree from New York University (1970). In that time period she dedicated her career to educating student of New York City. She continued her life-long philosophy of helping others by becoming a Peace Corps Volunteer in Colombia. (1965-1967). She then went on to become a Desk Officer for Peace Corps in Washington, D.C. for Trinidad and Tobago. The Peace Corps then sent her to Kathmandu, Nepal (1973), where she adopted her daughter, Poonam, from the orphanage.
Upon returning to the states, she continued her dedication to education by becoming an High School Guidance Counselor in Newark, Delaware, until 1980. She then went to work for Dupont in training and then moved to the Sales Department for twenty years. Her division was then sold to Agfa/Bayer where she continued in sales, for the following five years. She then created her own company, Smith and Associates, which served a variety of services including Corporate Training and empowering Minority Women in the work force. She continued to work until she was eighty, until she could work no more. She was tenacious in all of her endeavors.
This tenacity included volunteering at Resurrection Parish, for forty years, heading the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of Dining for Women (now known as Together Women Rise) for many years, advocating for children with CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) for several years, and a leading member of Peace week in Delaware. There are many other volunteer activities that Peggy supported, but the list is too vast.
She was an active World Traveler and had visited over fifteen countries in addition to living in both Colombia and Nepal. She was an avid skier and sailor, and an aficionado of the symphony, the opera, and the arts. She will be remembered for love of family and friends, and her delight in pushing boundaries. She will always be known for her intrepidness and fearless in everything she did.
A mass of Christian burial will be held at 12:00 p.m. on November 20th at Resurrection Catholic Church (3000 Videre Drive, Wilmington, Delaware, 19808). Friends and family may call beginning at 11:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, we ask that donations be made to: Together We Rise (formerly Dining for Women) 400 Executive Center Drive Suite 315, Greensville, SC 29615, or the Parkinson’s Foundation: www.parkinson.org
