Peggy Kelly Truman, 77, of Alderson, WV, passed away Friday, November 7, 2014, at the Peyton Hospice House in Fairlea, WV, surrounded by her family after battling Alzheimer’s disease.
She was born March 19, 1937, in Coal City, WV, a daughter of the late Fred Gayle Kelly and Sarah Lonell Rasco Kelly.
She was devoted to her family and loved hosting family gatherings. She was a beautiful, fun-loving person who had many wonderful friends. She volunteered and presented cooking demonstrations, including Dining with Diabetes food demonstrations. Her motto was to show respect for everyone regardless of their status in life and to be kind. If you ever met her, you would never forget her, and her presence will be truly missed by all.
Mrs. Truman graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in 1955 and then completed her registered nurse diploma in Jefferson Hospital School of Nursing in Roanoke VA. She later received her Bachelor of Science degree in professional arts from St. Joseph’s College in Maine. She was a pioneer of the certified medical assistance program at the Raleigh County Vocational Technical Center (Academy of Career and Technology Center) in Beckley, WV, and taught there for 18 years. She was also a former nurse for the Red Cross and the Hilltop Nursing Center in Glen Jean, WV.
She was a very active member of St. James Episcopal Church in Lewisburg, WV, and the Alderson Chapter #119 Order of the Eastern Star, was a regent of the James Allen Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) in Beckley, WV, vice regent of the Andrew Lewis Chapter of the DAR in Lewisburg, and was president of the Blue Sulphur Community Education Outreach Service (CEOS) Club and CEOS Greenbrier County Belle in 2012.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a son, James Alfred Truman.
She is survived by her loving husband of 57 years, Alan Kay Truman; was a loving mother to her children, Alan Truman Jr. (Susan Keck-Truman) of Los Altos, CA, and Timothy Truman (Lisa Toth) of Indianapolis, IN; beloved grandmother to Tyler Truman of Beckley and Alan “Trip” Truman III of Los Altos; and a beloved great-grandmother to Tristan Truman of Beckley. She is also survived by her loving sister and brother, Gaynell Bartleson (Mark Bartleson) and Robert Kelly (Maxine Kelly), all of Charleston, SC; and beloved nieces and nephews and grandnieces and grandnephews.
A celebration of her life will be held at 2 PM on Saturday, November 15, 2014, at St. James Episcopal Church in Lewisburg with Father Joshua Saxe officiating.
The family will receive friends from 1-2 PM at the church on Saturday.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations of sympathy in her memory be made to St. James Episcopal Church, 218 Church Street, Lewisburg, WV 24901.
Online condolences may be made by visiting www.WallaceandWallaceFH.com.
Wallace & Wallace Funeral Home in Lewisburg is in charge of arrangements.
Obituary originally published in the November 13, 2014 edition of the West Virginia Daily News.
