Peggy Grafke
Peggy Grafke
Peggy Grafke
July 11, 1935 – March 29, 2024
Oskaloosa, Iowa | Age 88
Peggy Grafke, 88, of Oskaloosa, passed away Friday, March 29, 2024, at her daughter’s home in Oskaloosa. Peggy Ann Williams Grafke was born July 11, 1935, to Frank Thomas and Jessie Amy Williams in Kansas City, Kansas.
Peggy grew up in Kansas City and graduated from Washington High School in Bethel, Kansas. After graduation, Peggy went to Emporia State Teachers College in Emporia, Kansas.
In 1950, Peggy began dating Henry Edgar Grafke, Jr. She was a sophomore, and he was a senior in high school at Washington High. She knew then that she had met the love of her life. They continued their relationship as both continued to Emporia State for college. They married on September 4, 1954. Peggy gave up her college career at the time to work on campus while Edgar completed his teaching degree.
Upon Edgar’s graduation, they moved from Emporia to Olathe, Kansas, where Edgar began his 3-year commitment to the U.S. Navy. After their commitment to the Navy came to a close, the couple moved back to Kansas City and started their new family. At about the same time, Edgar began his teaching career at their familiar old alma mater, Washington High School.
Peggy was a stay-at-home mom for 13 years, raising their three children: Ed, David, and Susan.
In 1968, the family moved to Oskaloosa, Iowa, where Edgar began teaching art as a professor at William Penn College. Peggy pursued her college and teaching degree at William Penn; she graduated in 1975.
Peggy began her career as a paraprofessional at Webster Elementary School in Oskaloosa. She later became a reading teacher at the reading clinic in the Oskaloosa School Administration, Central Office building. From there, Peggy began teaching full-time in her new kindergarten classroom at Webster Elementary School, where she remained for the rest of her teaching career until she retired in 1997.
Peggy excelled with the little ones and claimed all who she taught as “her children.” It was an organic sense of her legacy that many of her kids made pilgrimages back to visit her over the years. Her students grew, progressed through the grades, and eventually graduated and charted their own life’s course. Many then started their own families and were happy that their kids received the same opportunity as they did in kindergarten; seeing their own kids start their student lives with Mrs. Grafke was very special, as so many attested to over the years. Mrs. Grafke was also well known for hugging every child at the end of every day! She was named teacher of the year in 1983.
As her own children left the nest, Peggy kept herself busy with all the little ones at school, but she also found fulfillment in service. She was a charter member of P.E.O. Chapter N.N. Peggy also served on the Oskaloosa Library Board for many years and as an advocate for children on the Foster Care Advocacy Review Board for the state of Iowa. She also served on the Resident Advocacy Board for The Northern Mahaska Nursing and Care Facility for many years. Peggy was a patron of the arts in Oskaloosa along with her husband Edgar. They were members of The First Congregational Church in Oskaloosa for many years. Most recently, Peggy attended The LifeHouse Community Church in Oskaloosa. Peggy’s love for Jesus was evident in the way she lived her life, placing the service toward others before herself.
She loved life to its fullest. Peggy’s family was her life, and she unconditionally loved her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. They were the lights of her life. Peggy also had many pets through the years and spent much of her retirement years caring for her many dogs, including Don, Annie and Gracie, her current “bless-a-hearts”, and some lovable cats. They were also her family, and she loved making their dog food and “dog cookies” each week. And they loved her very much in return.
Peggy was preceded in death by her husband, Henry Edgar Grafke Jr.; her parents; a step-father, Harold E. Toot; a brother, Jerry T. Williams; a step-sister, Marguerite Green and her husband, Bob; and a step-brother-in-law, Dean Ward.
Peggy leaves behind her family which includes her sons, Henry Edgar Grafke III of Oskaloosa, David A. Grafke (Glen Baker) of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; her daughter, Susan A. Leedom (Rick) of Oskaloosa; her grandsons: Elliott T. Grafke (Jessica), Hamilton M. & Woodrow H. of Belgrade, MT, Saif Grafke (Jaynee); and great-grandson, Kase H. of Oskaloosa; her step-granddaughter, Teah LeedomVersendaal, and family; her nieces, Laurie Williams (Kate) and Amy Rhoades (Mark); her step-sister, Naomi Ward; along with her sisters-in-law, Marge Grafke-Doby (Robert), Eva Hinds (Hal) and a brother-in-law, Stuart Grafke (Jenny); and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Peggy’s wish was that everyone remember her for her hugs and her peanut butter cookies!
Memorial services for Peggy will be held at 2 p.m., Wednesday, April 3, 2024, at LifeHouse Community Church with Pastors Adam Kyle, Steve Howe, and Guy Almon officiating.
Interment will be in Forest Cemetery.
Visitation will begin at 10 a.m., Tuesday, at Langkamp Funeral Chapel; the family will greet visitors from 4-6 p.m.
Memorial contributions can be made to the Mahaska Health Foundation to be directed to Hospice Services.
