Peggy Ruth Pearce McElvain

Peggy Ruth (Pearce) McElvain died peacefully in Salt Lake City, UT on February 1, 2025.

Peggy was born on January 17, 1935, in Shelbyville, KY to Howard and Mary (McAfee) Pearce. She came into the world with bright red hair, one blue eye, one brown eye, and a magnetic personality.

Growing up, she was adored by many and usually the life of the party. Perhaps it was for this reason that her parents thought it wise to send her to an all-girls boarding school – Stuart Hall in Virginia. There, she thrived and it was no surprise to anyone that she was chosen as “Miss Stuart Hall” her Senior year.

Afterward, she attended Northwestern University to study education.  She joined the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority and it was at a mixer where she met the love of her life – Bob (aka Ralph) McElvain. He was tall, handsome, and drove a Ford Thunderbird. They got engaged her Senior year and married on June 15, 1957 in Shelbyville, KY. Since Bob had one more year for his 5 year engineering degree, they lived in Evanston, IL during their first year of marriage and Peggy worked as a 1st grade teacher.

When Bob graduated in 1958, they moved to Madisonville, KY where he worked as an engineer at a coal mine. Peggy left teaching to care for their first daughter Mary Lee who was born with the same bright red hair. Peggy loved to take her out because the two of them with their matching red hair created a stir. Bob decided that the coal industry was not for him and they packed up for a new job in Urbana, IL. Here, their son Christopher Howard was born followed shortly thereafter by another daughter, Sarah Edith.

In 1967, the family packed up again to follow Bob’s new job and moved to the North Shore of Chicago. They settled in Lake Forest where they lived for the next 14 years. Peggy nurtured many friendships as well as her love of tennis. Peggy was not only a great entertainer, she had a great forehand. She played many hours at the Lake Forest Club and the Bath & Tennis Club. The kids have many memories of being left at the orthodontist while their mom played “just one more set!”

When the kids wanted to ski, Peggy joined them and learned how to ski at the age of 40. The kids would often find her at the end of the day with new best friends at the base lodge. To the horror of the kids, the new friends seemed to know every detail about their lives. Peggy had no trouble making new friends as she had a great ability to engage with anyone and tell a good story.

While the kids were in school, Peggy volunteered many hours as a leader of the parent’s association and even the director of the LFHS talent show.

In 1981, Bob came home and told the family that he was getting transferred to Salt Lake City, UT. The family replied in unison – “Salt Lake City – where’s that?!” It was hard for Peggy to leave her many friends in Lake Forest, but it wasn’t long until she had new friends in Salt Lake. She often said that the sport of tennis opened doors for her, and she found her people on the tennis court at the Cottonwood Club.

Peggy’s athletic abilities enabled her to expand her interests beyond tennis and she embraced the Utah lifestyle. She loved to organize her family and friends to go hiking, biking, and skiing – especially at her beloved Alta. She made it one of her lifetime goals to ski with her grandchildren at Alta when she turned 80 as her lift ticket would be free. We’re happy to report that she achieved that goal!

Peggy also loved to travel the world which included many trips to Europe and around the country. When they traveled, Bob joked that he’d heard the phrase “Hey Peg!” more than any other as it seemed everywhere they went, they’d run into someone that she knew.  Sometimes this was a benefit – for example when she knew the officer that pulled the family station wagon over for “following too close” in the middle of Indiana.

As time marched on, Peggy slowed down on the tennis court and in the mountains, but she never slowed down socially. She loved to entertain and she was good at it. The women at the Town Club of Salt Lake saw this skill and she was soon elected president of that organization. Despite battling two rounds of cancer, she still managed to lead that organization and attend many events.

As Peggy’s children and grandchildren grew, they scattered across the country. She loved to travel to see them and meet their friends who grew to love her as well. While she enjoyed traveling, her most favorite activity was when they were all able to gather around the table to share stories, laugh, and enjoy a good meal. During one of their last visits, one of the children said “I love you mom!” She replied – “What’s not to love?” What’s not to love indeed.

Peggy is survived by many who loved her very much including her three children: Mary Ware (Michael), Chris McElvain, Sarah Lavoie (John); six grandchildren: Kathleen Ware Hawkes (John), John Ware, Amy Ware Simek (Ivan), Darcy Lavoie, Jenna McElvain, and Davis Lavoie; and 3 great-grandchildren: Cora Hawkes, Orson Hawkes, and Eleanor Simek.  Peggy was predeceased by her husband Bob of 57 years and her brother Robert Pearce of Shelbyville, KY.

Peggy was lucky to live out her last years well cared for by the wonderful staff at the Ridge Memory Care, Cottonwood and Symbii Home Health and Hospice. A private burial and celebration of life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to her grandson John’s community – Ability Inclusion Services in West Valley City, UT.