Grace "Peggy" Watson Stocks
1931 - 2024
Grace “Peggy” Watson Stocks, age 92, passed away peacefully on April 7, 2024 at SalemTowne Retirement Community in Winston-Salem. She was the daughter of Chief Roy Watson and Florence Watson Fowler and was born in Wilmington, NC on September 29, 1931. She attended school in Wilmington and graduated high school from Tabor City High School, Tabor City, NC.
Peggy began her nursing career as an office nurse with Dr. R. C. Harrelson in Tabor City. She met her husband, Earl M. Stocks, in Tabor City. Upon their marriage they moved to Greensboro, NC where they lived and raised their family until their retirement. Peggy began a 30-year career as office nurse to Dr. William G. Murray upon moving to Greensboro.
Peggy and Earl enjoyed their retirement years at their lake house on Kerr Lake, Manson, NC where Peggy remained in their retirement home until December, 2021 when she could no longer live alone. She moved into The Whitmore Retirement Center in Oxford where she spent two years under the care of Dorothy Townes and Jerry Sneed. As her health declined, she moved closer to her daughters.
After Earl passed away in 1994, Peggy began teaching quilting at Vance Granville Community College. She continued teaching until 2020 when Covid prevented her from spending time in the classroom. She forged many lasting relationships throughout her later years of life. She lived life to the fullest from RV’ing across the country to go to quilting shows & shops to her countless hours spent on her porch quilting with her dearest friends. If you met Peggy once she remembered you. She always knew how to make people from all walks of life feel seen and loved. During her teaching years she began to refer to her students as her children and siblings. She truly left a mark on everyone she met.
Peggy is survived by her daughters and bonus sons Lee and Greg Brinkley of Glendale Springs, NC and Anne and Chris Walker of Kernersville, NC and one granddaughter, Amanda and Stephen Jordan of Lehi, UT. She is also survived by nieces, Mona Burk of Richmond, VA; Randie Harrelson (Cris) of Bladenboro, NC and nephew, Chuck Watson (Pat) of New Kent, VA.
Throughout her life, Peggy nurtured and mothered many individuals too numerous to list here. They all were a very vital part of her life.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, April 19 at First Presbyterian Church, 222 Young Street, Henderson, NC at 1 PM. For those attending the celebration, please feel free to bring a quilt that Peggy made and gifted to you or one she inspired you to make. We want to drape each pew in the sanctuary with a quilt. There will be a reception after the service in the Fellowship Hall.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Trellis Supportive Care, 101 Hospice Lane, Winston-Salem, NC 27103.
Mrs.Peggy, you were an inspiration to me in growing up as well as being an adult which I can never forget. You will always be in my heart ♥️. Love you.
I first met Peggy in 2003 when I began taking the quilting class at VGCC. She was kind, patient & so knowledgeable in passing on her skills & love of quilting. We had many enjoyable trips to quilt shows & shop hops!
I will cherish these memories of her & happy times. Will think of her with much love every time I’m working on a quilt!
Peggy was a wonderful lady. I met her at VGCC When I started her class. I guess about the year she started. She taught me to quilt. She invited me to First Presbyterian with her years and years ago. She was a great friend. She saw me through good times and bad. Losing Mama, meeting Terry, having my Amanda and Charles.
I enjoyed stories of Earl at quilting class.
She tried to guide my color choices even when i could understand why they were not correct. She guided me through piecing my quilt for my mom (who never saw it quilted). I am forever grateful to her help.
She will be missed.
It is our loss that we never got to personally meet, Ms. Peggy but her earthly daughters, Lee and Anne, will continue her beautiful legacy. Love and prayers!
Bill and Jane Ebert, Sparta, NC
Never met Peggy and knew her as only Mama from her daughters. It seems she left quite a legacy.
Rest in Peace!
The Lathers
Peggy shared all she had and l am so grateful thee are no words to express.
Peggy came into my life in 1995 not long after she lost her husband Earl. Went to the first quilting class that she taught which she continued to teach quilting until Covid-19 changed things. Through the years we became close friend and my mentor not only in quilting but life. The class was making a quilt by hand which after a couple of classes I went to the sewing machine (she let me stay in the class). She amazed me with her tiny hand switches that she perfected to perfection. I think almost all of her 100 plus quilts she made through the years were hand pieced and hand quilted. I know she stitched up until about a month before she went peacefully. We sheared many stories about our daughters and granddaughter’s. I felt I knew them and did get to meet Ann and Lee in 2010. when Peggy broke her hip. Boy was she a determined person to get her independence and life back together.she gifted me with one of those priceless quilts that she made just for me for staying a few days with her at that time. It was my favorite quilt pattern AND definitely made with love for me. Amanda I never had the pleasure of meeting you but felt like you were my granddaughter she presided you all the time and you need to always know she loved you so much. Peggy was a Christian first daughter, wife mother and grandmother and the best friend a person could have which I know that the almost 25 years of teaching there are many and will always be remembered each and every time one of us wrap up in a quilt and remember her. May your family know how blessed they were to have such a grand mother. Peggy I love you and will miss you. Love forever Faith Smith
Lee and Ann,
My heart broke when I learned of your Mother’s passing. She was a beautiful person and friend. She gave me a gift of quilting and friendship. They will last a life time and I will miss her with every stitch I take. She not only taught me how to quilt but gave me moral support through some very difficult times in my life. I will fondly remember spending most of Thanksgiving day with her in 2023. She was cheerful as always and we talked for hours about quilting and all of you and what was going on in your lives .She was very proud of you all and loved you very, very much. To know Peggy was to love Peggy, a person just couldn’t help themselves. I will always cherish her friendship and she will always hold a “Special” place in my heart. She will live on in all the memories.
Bless you all,
Karen Fleming Maynard
Lee and Ann,
My mama and myself took hand quilting from Ms.Peggy around 2000. We had a ball in that class! We made new friends and everyone helped each with your mama’s guidance! Ms. Peggy was such a sweet and giving lady. Amanda was in a lot of our conversations she was always telling stories about Amanda!❤️ My mama passed away this week and we put her first quilt on her casket which Ms. Peggy taught her how to do! It was very special remembering those wonderful classes! I know you will miss her! Take care! Prayers for your family.
Brenda Seaman
I knew the Stocks family from my years at First Moravian Church – Greensboro NC – & what a wonderful picture of
her – just as I remember her, although I haven’t seen her since early eighties ! My deepest condolences to
her family, during this difficult time. Grace & Peace.