Margaret Diana “Peggy” Bodenham Gregory

Posted on January 26, 2018

Margaret Diana “Peggy” Bodenham Gregory, 95, of Oak Ridge, Tenn., died peacefully on Friday, Jan. 12, 2018. Peggy was born in Washington County, Pa., to Albert John and Norah Wylie Bodenham.

She graduated from Canonsburg, Pa., high school and earned her BS in dietetics at Mather Women’s College, which is now part of Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.
On a blind date, she met the love of her life, James (Jim) William Gregory,   who also graduated from Case.
They were married after graduation and lived in Buffalo, N.Y., where their daughter Mary Priscilla (Perky) was born, for years. They returned to Cleveland, where their son James (Mike) Michael was born.

In 1949, Jim and Peggy moved their family to Oak Ridge where Jim started work at K-25 in the Civil Structural Engineering Department. Two more children, Melinda (Mimi) Ann and John Christopher, were born in Oak Ridge. Peggy attained an additional degree in library science from the University of Tennessee and worked as the children’s librarian at Oak Ridge Public Library until she retired.
While caring for her family and pursuing her career, Peggy was very active in church and community activities in Oak Ridge and in Kingston when living on Watts Bar Lake. The family belonged to First Presbyterian Church in Oak Ridge where Peggy taught Sunday school and participated in the church’s women’s organization. She was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) for 75 years, serving as Regent and Registrar; and was for many years in charge of the American history essay contest and Good Citizen awards given by Clinch Bend Chapter. She was awarded a special member certificate at the DAR Tennessee conference when she received her 50-year pin.

Peggy volunteered for The Pink Ladies and later at The Hospitality House of Methodist Medical Center of Oak Ridge. Her love of music led her to serve as a member of ORCMA Guild. Peggy belonged to a sewing group of her closest friends for more than 65 years, meeting monthly and faithfully. While living in Kingston, she volunteered at Kingston Public Library and was active in Kingston Methodist Church until returning to Oak Ridge to live. She then volunteered once a week at Oak Ridge Public Library until she was 94 years old and returned to serve at First Presbyterian Church.
Jim and Peggy traveled to all 50 states, Canada, Mexico, Caribbean, France, Italy, Germany, Austria and Switzerland along with seven trips to the British Isles. They also went to Aruba with a church mission team.
At home, they enjoyed sailing and boating on Watts Bar Lake and were members of Oak Ridge Power Squadron.
In the later years, Peggy spent her winters with her oldest daughter, Perky, in Perry. In Perry, she attended Boyd Methodist Church and participated in the women’s Bible study group.  She became close to a group of Perky’s friends and was able to spend time with her niece, Debby of Thomasville, Ga. With these special people, she enjoyed an annual Valentine’s Day High Tea and a yearly trip to St. George Island.

Peggy was preceded in death by: her parents; husband, Jim; sister, Eunice B. Gessler; grandson, David Wylie Hunt; and son-in-law, Bobby Hunt.

She is survived by: her daughter, Mary Priscilla Hunt of Perry; son, James Michael (Vicky) Gregory of Piney Flats, Tenn.; daughter, Melinda Ann (Ed) Tilley of Oak Ridge; son, John Christopher (Mickey) Gregory of Dandridge, Tenn.; grandchildren, Daniel (Rick) Gregory of Atlanta, Ga., James Dale (Haley) Gregory of Piney Flats, Wesley (Ryan) Tilley of Oak Ridge, Lisa Tilley (Jerry) Williams of Oak Ridge, Kristin (Marc) Sordi of Roseville, Calif., and Joel (Chasity) Wray of Bristol, Va.; the children who made her a proud great grandmother, Alexa, Brooklyn, River, Maggie, Willow and Addie; two nieces, Debby (Dean) Little of Thomasville, Ga., and Wendy Gessler; and half-sister, Anne (David) Visnansky of Freedom, Pa.

The family wishes to express their gratitude for the loving care provided by Canterfield Assisted Living and Amedisys Hospice during the past year.
A celebration of life will be held at First Presbyterian Church, 1051 Oak Ridge Turnpike, Oak Ridge, Tenn., on Saturday, Jan. 27, 11 a.m., with a reception after the service. A graveside service will be a private time for the family.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to First Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 6106, Oak Ridge, Tenn., 37831, or Hospitality House of Methodist Medical Foundation, P.O. Box 2528, Oak Ridge, Tenn., 37831-9924. Arrangements are under the direction of Cremation Options, Inc.