Peggy Inez Shia

Graveside Services for Peggy Inez Shia will be held at 1:00PM Friday, November 11, 2016 at Roselawn Memorial Gardens Cemetery, Calhoun with Elder Paul Stephens officiating. Peggy Inez Shia was born in Middle Water, TX on June 18, 1926. She went to her Father in Heaven on October 7, 2016. She lived 90 years and 3 months. Peggy was raised in Dalhart, TX, the daughter of ranchers Leonard Roy Parker and Violet Mae Love Parker. She had two siblings, Leroy and Billie Louise. She attended Dalhart High School and upon graduation she attended Pepperdine College in Los Angeles, a Church of Christ College. She was from a long line of very active Church of Christ members and preachers in her family. Peggy studied at Pepperdine with the desire to become a nutritionist. She then met and fell in love with John G. Shia from New Haven, CT who served with the U.S. Air Corps and Veteran of both the European and Pacific theaters. John was stationed at the Dalhart Field in 1946 after serving overseas. They married in Raton NM and within weeks, she left Dalhart as a new bride to live with her husband in New Haven, CT. She thrived in New England and immediately became instrumental figure in helping to establish a new Church of Christ in the area. She was a charter member who was asked to break the ground in the ceremony for the ground breaking for the new Whitney Ave. Hamden, CT Church of Christ building. She made homes in New Haven, West Haven and North Haven, CT. She became the mother of two children, Mark John Shia and Noreen Catherine Shia. She was as devoted a wife and mother as she was to her church. She raised her children in the instruction of the Lord and lived a life of example as she dedicated herself to his service in the church and her family. She was strong in her prayer life daily and believed in its power. She was a student of the Bible and read the word daily. She was a teacher of Sunday school throughout her time in CT, among many other services to the church and to her family, friends, and relatives. She was Beloved by all including her husband and his large family, his parents, of 4 brothers, who actively served in WWII, and 2 lovely sisters, as well as numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins. Peggy was blessed with many gifts however; the most memorable was the gift of hospitality and service. She hosted numerous large family gatherings and church functions which gave her joy. She entertained in her home almost continuously with her growing church family and her own family and friends. In 1985, Peggy moved with her husband to Monroe, LA in his retirement, with the mission to care for her mother in her mother’s elder years. She immediately joined the White’s Ferry Road Church of Christ upon her arrival to West Monroe as she cared for her mother. Her long life of unwavering faith, dedication, and her heart filled with love eventually had an impact on her husband. The instruction from the White’s Ferry Road Church of Christ leadership along with her lifetime of devotion eventually contributed to her husband’s decision to finally join her in her faith and he was baptized to become a member of the church in 1985. She wrote in her bible about this event, “to God be the Glory”. She was the most loving, loyal, kind, and pure of heart with a special grace and light that shined from her soul that blessed all who knew her.
Peggy is preceded in death by her parents, Leonard and Violet Parker; brother, Leroy Parker; sister, Billie Louise Ellis; and her husband, John G. Shia.
She is survived by her two children, Mark Shia and Noreen Shia; grandsons, Bryan Shia and his wife Karen and Steven Shia; great granddaughters Eve, Lily, and Cece Shia; as well as brother-in-law Henry Shia, two very loving sister-in-law’s, Julia Kiselwich, Marian Libbey; and numerous nieces and nephews.
A special thank you to Peggy’s lovely sisters-in-law, Julia Kiselwich and Marian Libbey; niece Karen Walz; friends, Linda Speight, Rachel Stakelum and White’s Ferry Road Church of Christ for providing the flowers for Peggy’s service.