February 27, 2022, 90, La Grange –
Peggy Ann Fields Wade, 90, entered into the presence of her Lord and Savior on Sunday evening, February 27, 2022. Peggy was born in Lenoir County to the late Horace Earl and Ola Mae Hines Fields on May 15, 1931. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Elwood Wade, Sr.; and her children, Delores Wade Jernigan and Elwood “Skip” Wade, Jr.
Living her entire life on a farm, Peggy attained many skills that were beneficial to her family’s everyday life. Tending her own vegetable garden and utilizing the produce of the land to prepare three home-cooked meals daily was commonplace. If clothes needed altering or mending, she was the go-to for her whole crowd. As if keeping the home and tending the garden wasn’t enough to keep her busy, she also invested time working in the fields when her duties at home were complete. A work ethic that can hardly be found in today’s times, Peggy could work circles around most folks.
When it came to Peggy’s cooking, there wasn’t any dish that could beat hers. A true southern cook, she could start with meager ingredients to create a king’s feast, and everything she made was from scratch. Supper was always ready by 6:00 each night, and no meal was looked forward to more than her baked spaghetti.
Talented and artistic, Peggy was proficient in all sorts of crafts. Working with her hands, she could complete needlepoint, crocheting, and sewing, and most enjoyed flower arranging. A love for all types of flowers, she’d grow them herself and make beautiful bouquets to adorn her home and share with friends.
While spare time was sparse for Peggy, she did have a few favorite pastimes to enjoy. Spending time on the banks with a fishing pole in her hand or finding peace at the beach were two of her most prized activities. In the home, she was the best storyteller and had a laugh that made you laugh right along with her. Basking in God’s nature, she enjoyed sightings of birds in her yard, especially when hummingbirds came to the area. In earlier years, the television was tuned to The Young and the Restless every day at 12:30, and she knew all that was going on with the Abbott and Newman families. However, this couldn’t compare to her dedication to Gunsmoke, a show she watched daily since its inception. There is no telling how many times she watched every episode, for if a rerun was on television, it would be showing in her home.
Family was one of Peggy’s dearest possessions and fondest loves. Working alongside her husband, Elwood, on the family farm was a role she cherished and wouldn’t trade for any other. She raised her three children in a Christian home and later helped to raise all her grandchildren with the same love. Discipline came right along with the love, as she was known to correct her clan with the wire end of a fly swatter or a switch which they picked themselves. This wasn’t a common occurrence, however, for all Peggy had to do was look at you over her glasses and you knew it was time to straighten up. As the years went by and children and grandchildren became adults, Peggy looked forward to every family gathering that drew them in close.
For her family and friends, Peggy was a true saint. Rarely a harsh word came from her lips, but if it did, it was warranted. Often a prayer on her lips, she was constantly lifting her family to the Lord and putting others before herself. Humble and kindhearted, she was a true angel on earth and possessed a beautiful spirit. Her spirit was a mere reflection of the love of Jesus contained within her, which she expressed through her love of family, friends, and her church. As a member of Bethel United Methodist Church, she cared for her pastors and the members of her congregation and faithfully participated in the ministries of the church through her prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness.
A service to remember Peggy’s life will be held at on Friday, March 4, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. in the chapel of Rouse Funeral Home with Pastor Joseph Franklin officiating. Committal will follow at Fairview Cemetery.
Peggy is survived by her son, Chris Wade and wife, Angie; daughter-in-law, Mauricia Sparks Wade; son-in-law, Ray Jernigan; grandchildren, Kevin Jernigan and husband, Troy, Jamie Jernigan and wife, Valerie, Jeromy Elwood Wade and wife, Brook, Jenna Wade Becerril, Ryan Wade, and Hunter Wade; great-grandchildren, Savannah, Claire, Skylar, Haleigh, Faith, Jentzen, Bailey, Addison, Rylan, Chloe, Lana, and Angel; siblings, Jean Jackson and husband, Doug, Alton Ray Hamm and wife, Joan, and Roger Hamm and wife, Janice; and her devoted caregiver, Linda Manning.
The family will receive friends for a time of visitation on Thursday evening, March 3, 2022, from 6:00 – 8:00 at Rouse Funeral Home.
Online condolences may be expressed at www.rousefh.com. Flowers are welcome, or memorials may be made to Bethel United Methodist Church, c/o Jackie Overbee, 111 Cassedale Drive, Goldsboro, NC 27534. Arrangements are entrusted to Rouse Funeral Home, La Grange.
