Peggy Joyce Wilburn

Peggy Peterson Wilburn, “Nana”, of Madison, Alabama passed on Sunday, November 22 around 5:00pm. She is preceded in death by her parents, John and Maizell Peterson, and brother, Tommy Peterson, and Sister Judy Peterson Murray. She is survived by her husband, Archie Gerald Wilburn, her daughters, Paula Hamlett (Danny), Angie McClean, and Amber Wilburn, her son Jeff Wilburn, grandchildren, Scott Goosby, Sera Williams (Max), Carly Hamlett, and Destiny Wilburn, many great grandchildren, and her dearly loved dog, Sipsie.

Peggy was born January 24, 1938 in Nashville, Tennessee to John and Maizell Peterson. She was a spirited child who is well remembered for her signature playfulness such as sneaking into her neighbor’s house and painting their washer and dryer red. Though she was never accused of having perfect attendance in school, she still managed a degree in Nursing, which she received the same day she was married to Gerald Wilburn. After retiring from nursing, she spent her time adventuring around town with friends and family, studying her Bible and singing in the Church Choir. Those who knew her best liked to joke about her inability to clap, or sway, or even tap her toe to a beat, but that did not stop her from clapping, swaying, and tapping, even if it meant she bumped shoulders with the person next to her. Another bright spot of her retirement years was traveling. She and Gerald always seemed to be heading either north to the Smokey Mountains or south to Santa Rosa Beach. Even when they were “home” they were always out visiting friends or eating at their favorite spots. It wasn’t at all unusual for all the staff to come over and speak to them during their meal. She and Gerald knew everyone by name and often knew all about their family too. Whenever they moved (and they moved A LOT!) it wasn’t long before they found their regular spots and learned the family tree.

Nana also LOVED her grandchildren and great grandchildren, the family often joked that she had to be watched over just as closely as the littles. She would get everyone wound up, squealing with laughter, and give them anything they asked for, which was usually something involving sugar. In recent years, Nana would forget names and would, instead, give the most horrifically offensive descriptions that were nowhere near accurate, but Gerald could always interpret for her effortlessly. They were quite the duo, especially after Nana’s health scare around 11 years ago. Though she had recovered, she was completely reliant on him which only strengthened their bond. One of the first things she told the family when she was able to speak again was that she, “had hidden some money in a book and wanted to be sure we found it”. Hiding money was another common quirk of Nana’s, which became more problematic and humorous as her memory failed her. It seemed she always had Gerald or Paula running around the house, bringing her books, so that she could search through the pages for her secret stash.

Her hilarious and endearing quirks are something we won’t soon forget and will keep us smiling in the days to come. Her love for Jesus, and the hope we have in Him, will keep us moving forward, passing the Good News on to our children, friends, and neighbors. That is certainly what she would want to leave behind. There will be a graveside service at a later date. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, a donation be made in Peggy’s memory to Monrovia Church of Christ Missions Fund.