Rock Hill, SC – Mrs. Peggy Bradley Angel, born April 19, 1932, passed away quietly at 12:47 p.m. on August 31 at her home. She was predeceased by her husband David Edgar Angel, Sr. and predeceased by a sister, Ann Springer Randall of Birmingam, AL, and a brother, Jan C. Springer of Sacramento, CA. Peggy is survived by: a sister, Jean Craig Holt, of Cherokee, NC.; her son David Edgar Angel, Jr. (Jan) of Rock Hill and her granddaughters, Jana Kristina Angel of Jacksonville, FL, Alexandria Gabrielle Angel of West Palm Beach, FL, and Savannah Davilyn Angel of Raleigh, NC; her son James Douglas Angel (Lorraine) of Easley, SC, her grandson James Tabb (Deval Zaveri) and her great-grandchildren Leela and Kavi Zaveri-Tabb of San Diego, CA, her granddaughter Elizabeth (Jimmy), her great-granddaughter Bailey Hibler (Kyle), her great-great-grandson Atticus, and her great-grandson Seth of Watkinsville, GA, her grandson Major Matthew Ballard Angel, PhD., of Aberdeen, MD, her great-granddaughter Maggie Ward Angel, and her grandson Dr. Bradley Douglas Angel, DVM, of Easley; her son Robert A. Angel (Rose) of Bluffton, SC, her grandson Robert A. Angel, Jr. (Heather), and her twin great-grandsons Barrett and Wesley of Mt. Pleasant, SC, her granddaughter Hannah of Athens, GA, and her grandson Grayson of Hilton Head, SC; and her daughter Shari Angel Newman (Charles) of Spartanburg, SC, her grandson Scott Newman (Dr. Danielle Rosen, M.D.) of Charlotte, NC, her granddaughter Leigh Newman Blaisdell (Dan), and her great-grandsons Daniel, Michael, and Charlie of Charlotte.
Peggy Bradley was born the daughter of Hazel Bradley and Frederick Lee “Tom” King on April 19, 1932, on the Cherokee Indian Reservation in the home of her grandparents, Joseph and Callie Bradley. She was raised in a meager and modest home with her mother and three siblings. At times Hazel and Tom’s children lived separately with grandparents, aunts and uncles, and caring friends to allow their mother to work as a cook for a logging camp and other employers. However, they maintained an adamant, loving bond that overcame physical distance throughout their lives.
When she was only eight years old, Peggy took her first job babysitting three young neighbor children. At age eleven, she became self-sufficient by working at the Qualla Park Gift Shop, waiting on the tourists who traveled through the Cherokee Reservation and the Great Smoky Mountain Park. Though her family had barely enough to get by during these years of the Great Depression, followed by World War II, she witnessed that her mother always had food to share with those who had even less. Any visitor to Hazel Bradley’s home could expect a meal and a warm welcome. Peggy developed her serving, sympathetic nature by knowing firsthand how tough life could be for the needy or the sick. She developed a steely work ethic to help her family and a sincere, generous nature that gave God honor.
Peggy Bradley met David Edgar Angel briefly while he was visiting her high school, and later they began dating. Since Edgar (as he was then called) was traveling on the Great Lakes as a sailor in the Merchant Marines, he and Peggy had only six dates over a year of courtship before they married. They eloped to Clayton, Georgia, and after paying five dollars to the Justice of the Peace, they were married on March 19, 1949.
Their first home was a fourteen-foot travel trailer in Franklin, North Carolina, on Edgar’s father’s farm. They soon moved the trailer to Spartanburg so Edgar could work as a lumber inspector. Edgar and Peggy did secure a small house on Ammons Road after three years, and ten years later moved to a small farm off Hidden Hills Road.They lived there for two years until moving to Rock Hill in 1964 so that he could work as an insurance agent. Peggy and David Angel, Sr. were married for sixty-five years before he passed away on August 1, 2014.
Even while attending to the often arduous task of raising four children born less than six years apart, Peggy supplemented the family income with various endeavors–custom sewing, selling cosmetics and dinnerware, and maintaining a sizable garden for the home table. Once her children were older and more self-sufficient, Peggy first worked full-time managing a laundromat near their home on Saluda Street. She then became an employee of the Rock Hill Parks and Recreation Department from 1968-1980. During those twelve years, she established many innovative programs and unique events for children, adults, and seniors. She was the Director of Fewell Park and later Director of Arts and Crafts for the City of Rock Hill. With no formal training, Peggy taught classes in sewing, painting, and ceramics; and she created and ran day camps for children. Learning to live frugally and with limited resources as a child, Peggy was one of the first city “recyclers” in the 1970s and even taught classes on how to make lovely things out of thrown-away objects and scraps.
Peggy Angel was responsible for creating the Cultural Arts Program for the City of Rock Hill. Collaborating with local artists and craftspeople, she created five art centers for the public and established art programs for area nursing homes. She was so inspired by the beauty of the North Carolina mountains and the talented artists of Cherokee that she hoped to motivate others to delve into the arts to find their own passion in theater, painting, dance, music, poetry and more. After leaving her position with Rock Hill Parks and Recreation, Peggy joined the staff at her husband’s office, Angel Nationwide Insurance, where she served as office manager.
Peggy’s first community volunteer jobs were as the den mother for her sons’ Cub Scout den and as a PTA volunteer at Park Hills Elementary School in Spartanburg. One season, she even became a football coach when not enough men were available to coach her sons’ team. Since arriving in Rock Hill in 1964, Peggy has always been a faithful volunteer at First Baptist Church of Rock Hill. For over fifty years, she has served in many capacities where her talents and warm personality were needed. She was a Sunday School and Bible School teacher and helped with mission groups. She has also worked in the kitchen and has assisted with the Clothes Closet, unique church events, the bereavement committee, flower arrangements, and monthly business luncheons.
In the 1970’s, the local Come See Me Festival took much of her time each spring. Peggy Angel served on the CSM Planning Committee; and in 1972, she created and added the Frog Jump Contest and the Coloring Contest, events still offered during the annual festival. Peggy volunteered as the first chairperson of the York County Council on Aging. For her service to the community and her avid volunteerism, Peggy Angel was named Woman of the Year by the Rock Hill Jaycees in 1977.
Peggy joined The Woman’s Club of Rock Hill in 1969 and worked in many areas of responsibility over the next forty-six years. Peggy helped with many fundraising, decorating, and hospitality projects. Because of the tremendous amount of volunteer hours and her projects’ successes, in her thirtieth year of service, Peggy Angel was honored as the 1999 South Carolina Volunteer of the Year by the General Federation of Woman’s Clubs of South Carolina.
In 1992, Shepherd’s Center Director Robert Hope invited Peggy Angel to attend the Adventures in Learning classes offered at the center. She was installed as a member of the Board of Directors of the Shepherd’s Center of Rock Hill where she served as a board volunteer for twenty-two years. Over the years, Peggy arranged instructors for classes, taught classes herself, and helped with food, newsletters, service projects, luncheons, and fundraising. Peggy also served as President of the Board of Directors from 2010-2012. During her administration, she saved the club from collapse by resolving tax problems and preserving the local organization’s tax-exempt status
Although her highest level of education was a high school Graduate Equivalency Diploma, Peggy strenuously encouraged her family members in their educational endeavors. Recently she had asked them to provide her with pennants representing the various higher education institutions they attended and completed. There will be a plethora of these pennants displayed at her funeral. All of her adult offspring have benefited from some sort of higher education in a variety of disciplines. Athletics have also played a huge and successful part in the family activities, which Peggy and her husband traveled many miles to support. An avid Clemson fan, Peggy enjoyed watching games on television at every opportunity after she was no longer able to travel.
Peggy Angel was a woman of deep Christian faith. She read her Bible and other faith-related literature voraciously. Peggy sorely missed not being able to attend Sunday School and church services after a debilitating bout with Covid. However, she always watched the Sunday streaming services of First Baptist Church and the programs of other preachers, especially Dr. David Jeremiah. Peggy emphasized to her offspring, “You can be a Christian anywhere!”
The family offers their gratitude to several special caregivers. Ken Douglas (under final order from David, Sr.) was Peggy’s longtime lawn and garden worker, keeping it in showcase condition. Marlene Cooney was Peggy’s excellent and loving home caregiver her final months. Neighbors Natasha and Danny Jones performed much neighborly aid. Lynn Moran faithfully walked Peggy’s cute canine companion Molly every morning. And finally, the Providence Hospice team of Kimberly, Harriett, and chaplain Michael provided gracious care in Peggy’s final weeks.
Funeral services for Peggy will be held on Saturday, September 9, 2023 at 2:00 pm at First Baptist Church, 481 Hood Center Drive, Rock Hill, SC 29730 with interment following at Forest Hills Cemetery. Visitation will be held prior to the service from 12:30-2:00 pm in the church narthex. Funeral service will be livestreamed at https://www.fbcrockhill.org/live-stream/.
Memorials may be made to the Children’s Attention Home, P.O. Box 2912, Rock Hill, SC 29732.
Condolences may be made to the Angel family at www.greenefuneralhome.net.