Peggy Louise Shipwash Ruchotzke of Pleasant Hill, TN passed away peacefully July 26th at Wharton Nursing Home Memory Care Unit.
She was born September 15, 1929 to parents Raymond and Hazel (Morris) Shipwash of Harriman, TN, where she grew up. Beside her parents, Peggy was preceded in death by husband, Don, in 2007, daughter, Mary Lynn, in 1997, and brother-in-law, Paul Hudson, in 1994. Peggy was of the Baptist faith and attended Pleasant Hill Baptist Missionary Church until her health failed. Peggy met her husband, Don (who was from Iowa and was working for the Dept. of Energy in Oak Ridge), on a blind date and their love endeared for 49 and a half years. Peggy was a wonderful daughter, wife, mother, sister, and aunt.
Peggy and Don traveled the United States in their fifth-wheel, once taking a six-month trip which included Peggy crouching on the truck floor while traveling through Glacier National Park. Peggy never met a stranger and had many friends in the Uplands Retirement Village in Pleasant Hill and many friends she met while camping, either waiting for the green-jays to show up in Texas or around a bonfire in places like Olympic National Park in Washington or the many beautiful state parks in Tennessee. After Don’s stroke, they spent the warmer winter months in Pharr, Texas, where Don could walk, and they could ride their bikes. Peggy loved to read and make costume jewelry out of old beads she found and new ones she bought in a bead shop wherever she went and generously gave to her friends. Peggy had a quick wit even after her dementia set in and always had a mind of her own which she didn’t hesitate to share her opinion that let to many interesting and lively conversations and discussions.
Left to cherish many fond memories are: sister, Betty Hudson of Kingston, niece, Kay Austin of Kingston; nephews, Don (Janet Hudson) of Clinton, and Sid (Cynthia) of Knoxville; and a host of family members on both sides of the family who all called her “Aunt Peggy.”
The family is in appreciation of the compassionate and good care of Peggy for 2 and a half years while at Wharton Nursing Home and Caris Hospice in the later weeks.
There will be a private service held at a later date.
If you would like to remember Peggy with a gift or donation to Wharton Nursing Home P.O. Box 168 Pleasant Hill, TN 38578, she would have liked that.