Peggy Edwards Shackelford of Wauchula, FL went to her eternal heavenly home on Dec.12, 2020.
Born Nov. 11, 1934 in Whiteville, North Carolina to the late Alton and Clyde (Strickland) Edwards, she became part of a large family of seven siblings.
Playing basketball at Whiteville High School, where it’s said her dad didn’t miss a game, she also earned money driving a school bus. Upon graduating in 1953 she attended Eastern Carolina University, graduating with a BS in education. She later obtained her master’s degree in education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
She made her way to Florida after meeting the love of her life, Charles “Chuck” Shackelford, whom she agreed to marry if it didn’t require a move to Wauchula. Nonetheless, she settled in Wauchula, where she became the mother of two girls, Lesley and Luci. Together their family attended and served at First Baptist Church of Wauchula to ensure that their lives were built on faith and a love for God. She and Charles developed a dear circle of friends who played bridge and enjoyed regular dinner parties at one another’s home. She celebrated her friends’ children with many an engagement party or pitchfork fondue. Faith, family and friends became the hallmark of her family.
Accomplished and a force to be reckoned with at times, she served as a juvenile court counselor, guidance counselor at Wauchula Elementary, co-owner of the Cedar Box Antiques with Ninfa Collier, co-owner of Charles L. Shackelford Real Estate, and ultimately running for and being elected the first and only woman Superintendent of Hardee County Schools. She served two terms as chairman of the Board of Trustees of South Florida Community College, receiving Chairman Emeritus status upon the completion of her term.
She and Charles enjoyed spending summers at their home at Wildcat Cliffs Country Club in Highlands, North Carolina, where she learned to play golf and croquet, attended church and Bible studies, continued honing her bridge skills and brought people together in her home for many a dinner party.
She never passed an antique store she didn’t like, leaving her family with enough stemmed glass, china and chairs to host a large party, which she loved doing. Buying and restoring antique furniture gave her great joy and she didn’t mind lodging a large piece between her two daughters in the Buick sedan for the long ride home from her parents’ eastern North Carolina home. Hats, scarves, and unique glasses punctuated her sense of style.
In a talk she provided to her church in 1967 during the week of prayer for home missions, she said: “To the three R’s: Reading, Writing and Arithmetic that the school is charged with, we as parents must help by teaching our children the new three R’s…Reason…Restraint…and Responsibility …and the fourth must be added – Revealing…the revealing of Christ in our education.”
She leaves behind her beloved husband Charles of 61 years, daughters Lesley Shackelford Bateman (Rick), of Plant City, Luci Shackelford Coker (Keith) and grandson Ashton Coker of Winter Springs; brother Roscoe Edwards (Mary) of Whiteville, NC; sister Mary Elizabeth Smith of Raleigh; cousins and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by siblings Rudolph Edwards, Margie Turnage, Bill, Reuben and Jerry Edwards.
Marcus Shackelford and the Reverend Joe Butler, First Baptist of Wauchula, will preside over the private graveside burial at New Hope Baptist cemetery which will be recorded and shared online at a later time.
The family would like to thank its in-home caregivers, VITAS Healthcare and the staff at Hardee Manor for their compassionate care. Cards may be sent to Charles L. Shackelford at PO Box 1420 Wauchula, FL. 33873 or messages posted to the online obituary at Pongers-Kay-Grady Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, gifts in Peggy’s memory may be sent to the following:
• South Florida State College Foundation
13 East Main Street
Avon Park, FL 33825
Note in memo line on check: Peggy Shackelford memorial
• First Baptist Church Wauchula
1570 West Main Street
Wauchula, FL 33873
• Western Prong Baptist Church
167 Peacock Road
Whiteville, NC 28472