Resident Spotlight: Curt & Peggy Wilson

TALENTED AND CREATIVE

Peggy and Curt Wilson’s home is filled with objects of their creative talents. Some of the beautiful furniture was made by Curt; the wall hangings and table runner are a sample of Peggy’s quilting art. How did these two meet and decide to build a life together?

Peggy Jo Dick was born in Kettering, Ohio, on June 18, 1950. Peggy, who has an older brother, says they were blessed to be raised in a stable home by loving parents, and that, “Growing up in a small town had many advantages. I have many wonderful childhood memories of exploring woods with friends, and sledding in the winter months”.

Graduating from high school in 1968, Peggy married and moved to Beckley, West Virginia. Eventually, she enrolled in Concord College in Athens, West Virginia and made the fifty-mile commute to graduate in 1981 with a B.S. in Business, Accounting major. She completed requirements for a CPA Certificate in 1985 while working for a CPA firm. She soon moved to Atlanta where most of her career was spent in financial reporting for HMO management companies.

After a divorce in 2000, Peggy moved to Memphis to be near her brother and his family. She continued her work with HMO’s (Omnicare). Active in the church choir, Peggy was encouraged to join the Rhodes Master Singers, a community chorus sponsored by Rhodes College. “This was a great musical and social experience”, says Peggy. “We toured Italy in 2007 and my favorite concert was in a cathedral. We surrounded the pews and sang to the people who were sitting there and praying. I’ll never forget that experience!

In December of 2007, Peggy met Curt Wilson on a blind date arranged by a mutual friend. They fell in love and married on September 27th, 2008, recently celebrating their thirteenth anniversary.

John Curtis Wilson (Curt) was born August 3, 1946 in Greenville, Mississippi. For the first three years of his life, his family, including an older sister, lived in Richmond, Virginia while his father attended seminary school. “You might say I have been a life-long Presbyterian”, says Curt. Primarily, Curt and his family lived in Mississippi and Louisiana where his father had pastorates. This allowed Curt to be close to his extended family, especially his grandmother who owned a farm near Leland, MS. There, one summer, Curt and his cousin bought and trained horses, and, an uncle offered them a calf to start a cattle business. They arrived to pick up the calf in Curt’s Volkswagen. According to Curt, “The calf was a little nervous. I think it was her first ride in a Volkswagen!” Needless to say, the car needed heavy-duty cleaning before being driven again. Curt graduated high school in 1964 while living in Bossier City, Louisiana. 

Following high school, Curt attended Southwestern (Rhodes)College one year, then transferred to Louisiana Polytechnic Institute, graduating with a B.A. in Psychology in 1968. Curt then served in the U.S. Army until 1971. Entering as a private, he attended Officer Candidate School, ending his career as a First Lieutenant. During his service, Curt served as an Infantry Platoon Leader and as Battalion S-2 with the 101st Airborne Division in Vietnam. Following hismilitary service, Curt enrolled in Memphis State University andreceived a M.Ed (Counseling major) in 1975.

In 1970, Curt married Patti Fulmer. They moved to Memphis in 1972 and enjoyed thirty-six years together until her death in 2006. Curt spent twenty-six years employed with Shelby County Government, serving as Administrator of Pretrial Services, Deputy Director of the Division of Correction, and, the Administrator of the Probate Court Clerk’s Office. Curt also volunteered with Habitat for Humanity for more than twenty years where he supervised other volunteers. 

After Curt and Peggy married, it was necessary to combine their living situation, so they decided to renovate Curt’s house as it already had a woodworking shop and was much larger. Curt took on the job of remodeling. According to Peggy, “Curt and his crew did a beautiful job! I think the combining of our households prepared us for moving to Kirby Pines!”

After retirement in 2008, Peggy’s niece convinced her to try quilting. Neither had any experience and soon realized they needed to take a quilting course. “It was the best thing we ever did, especially since my niece said she did not even know how to read a ruler!” Peggy admits, “Quilting has turned into my passion and I spend many enjoyable hours making quilts.”

Curt and Peggy chose to move to Kirby Pines because they have no children and knew they needed a plan for their future healthcare. “We realize that we moved in earlier than most residents, but I don’t understand why people wait so late to move here. Living at Kirby Pines is such an easy lifestyle. The residents here are so warm and welcoming and the staff does everything they can to make our lives easier. There are so many activities from which to choose.” Peggy has learned to play Mahjong, and bridge and is currently Secretary of the Advisory Committee. Curt’s hobbies include woodworking, gardening and tinkering with cars. He loves to tell everyone that Peggy’s sewing machine cost more than his (1977) Corvette!

Curt and Peggy are active members of Shady Grove Presbyterian Church. They walk regularly and you might see this delightful couple enjoying the beautiful grounds of Kirby Pines. 

Wrtten by Joan Dodson, Resident, Kirby Pines