Peggy Mae (Gillespie) Delaney of Lowry City, Missouri was born on October 2, 1937 in Stark City, Missouri to Bert Gillespie and Arretta (Maples) Gillespie. She went to be with Jesus on May 25, 2019 at Kansas City Hospice House.
The family moved to the Kansas City, Missouri area in the 1940’s and settled in Osceola, Missouri in 1958. Peggy married John Francis (Jack) Delaney on September 26, 1953. To this union seven children were born. They lived in Kansas City where Jack was a roofer and Peggy a homemaker. After their divorce Peggy settled with her children in Osceola and finally in Lowry City, Missouri.
She worked in the housekeeping department and as a nurse’s aide at Sac-Osage hospital in Osceola when it was still located down by the old dam. She eventually attended nursing school in Nevada, Missouri and became a Licensed Practical Nurse in November of 1993. She worked as a Charge Nurse in ICU at Golden Valley Memorial Hospital in Clinton, Missouri and at Truman Lake Manor in Lowry City, Missouri. She owned her own boarding home, “Peggy’s Manor” in Lowry City from 1983 to 1987. She drove an 18 wheeler over the road for a time, then went back to nursing, retiring in 2001
Peggy loved her family; her faith; and her friends. She enjoyed scratch tickets, fishing, game shows, music, playing scrabble with her girls, visits with her grands and greats, telling funny stories from her past, thrift store shopping, working crossword puzzles and was an avid prayer warrior!
She was baptized at the First Christian Church on Oak Street in Kansas City, Missouri when she was eight years old. After retiring she moved back to Lowry City and was welcomed in at Lowry City Methodist Church and ultimately settled in with the church family at Bear Creek Church where her son-in-law Mike Banks is the pastor. She was faithful to the end in attendance and service and dearly loved. Her faith was important to her. She practiced daily bible readings, devotions and prayer times. She wanted everyone to believe and worked hard to “plant the seed”.
She was preceded in death by her mother and father; brother, Wyman Bert Gillespie; sister, Vanita Maxine Allen and daughter, Reta Mae Delaney. She is survived by her daughter, Nita Kay Banks and husband Michael of Osceola, Missouri; sons, Steve Delaney of Independence, Missouri, Bob Delaney and partner Pam Dest of Holden, Missouri, John Delaney of Webb City, Missouri, Kevin Delaney and wife Jane of Clinton, Missouri and Mark Delaney of Clinton, Missouri; 13 grandchildren and 23 great grandchildren. She often said “children are good, grandchildren are grand and great-grandchildren are great! She loved them all passionately and “lit up” whenever they came to visit.
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