Peggy Joyce Thompson

Beloved mother, grandmother, sister and aunt, Ms. Peggy Joyce Thompson (nee Toatley) was granted her wings by our Father and departed this life at home on July 6, 2018. Peggy was born December 11, 1935 in Hot Springs, Arkansas to Elliott (Dubell) Duval, Jr. and Alma Lee (nee McLemore) Toatley. To this union, Peggy was the fifth of ten children.

Peggy attended the historic Langston High School and later in life earned her General Education Diploma from Tri-City SER in 1976. She relocated to Saginaw, Michigan in 1959 and landed a job tending bar at TJ’s Lounge. She was also employed with the Buena Vista School District as a playground monitor at Henry A. Doerr Elementary School. Peggy was employed by the General Motors Corporation – Saginaw Steering Division in 1976 and retired in 2001 with 21 years of faithful service. She was member of the United Autoworkers Union Local 699.

The pride and joy of Peggy’s life were the blessing of her children, Karen Anita Swann, Kerry Anthony Thompson, both of Saginaw, Michigan and Kenneth Alan Myles (Sonia) of Mason, Ohio. Peggy’s blessings continued to be expanded with her grand-children Kandria, Pierre, Jazzmyn, Kerrington (Ma’Kyla), Kendall and Jordan, and great-grandchildren Armariyaun, Armari, Johnell, JaQuan, JaVeah, Kingston, Ma’ki, Ki’Air.

With an awesome sense of humor, Peggy was the family’s proverbial “life of the party.” She was full of quick wit and hilarious jokes that kept everyone laughing. Her famous karate chop and kick combination was a classic! Her favorite musical artists were Johnnie Taylor and Bobby Womack. Her passion was crossword puzzles and she always encouraged her children to secure a command of the English language as “you’re gonna need it if you want to get anywhere in this world!!” Her favorite holiday was Christmas and she continued the tradition of showering her grandchildren with toys, something she started with her own children. She loved to grocery shop, watch the local news “to get the scoop” and was amused by, and found humor in, stories published in gossip and entertainment periodicals. Peggy was proud of her acumen in identifying classic automobiles by year, make and model, especially cars from the 1950’s.

Peggy is survived by her three children, Karen, Kenneth and Kerry; six grandchildren; 8 great-grandchildren; two sisters, Barbara (Walter) Davis, Southaven, Mississippi, Lillie Middleton, Hot Springs, Arkansas; twenty-four nieces and nephews, including very special nephew, Felton Lewis “Sonny” Jackson, II.

Peggy was predeceased by her parents, Elliott Duval and Alma Lee Toatley; six sisters, Mattie Gray, Clara Jackson, Helen Garner, Delois Myles, Zelva Pope, Shirley Toatley; one brother, Elliott D. Toatley, Jr.; a special brother, Glen Jackson; two nieces, Cheryl Little, Gwendolyn Coleman; two nephews, Elliott D. Toatley and Charles Coleman.