Obituary: Peggy Joyce McDaniel La Grone

Peggy Joyce McDaniel La Grone, age 73, died peacefully in her sleep on the morning of Sunday, Nov. 10, 2013, after a lengthy illness.

Known by family and friends alike as “Diggy”—a name given by her eldest grandchild—Mrs. La Grone lived a full life rich with family love and service to God and community. She never met a stranger, though she traveled the world following her upbringing in Panola County, Texas.

She was born Dec. 3, 1939, to Herman Victor McDaniel and Ethel Gertrude Hightower McDaniel at Antioch community, in the deep piney woods of East Texas. Her life’s joy was family and friends, most especially her children and grandchildren. Mrs. La Grone taught high school English early in her career and continued to be a part-time educator during her homemaking years, raising three children and working as a tireless volunteer. In later years, Mrs. La Grone was her mother’s and her grandchildren’s caregiver.

She was a faithful member of the United Methodist Church and served as president of the United Methodist Women and was deeply involved with peace works and social justice through Church Women United. Throughout her life, she taught Sunday School and led vacation Bible schools.

Upon coming to Oak Ridge in 1983 with her family, she served as Oak Ridge High School Soccer Booster president and served as one of the “Masquer Mamas” working with Oak Ridge High School’s drama club for decades. Additionally, Mrs. La Grone was a Beta Sigma Phi sorority sister, served on the board of Clinch River Home Health, and on numerous committees for community causes. Mrs. La Grone loved a good party—be it a wedding or a gathering to dye eggs—and she never missed a chance to don a beautiful hat.

Mrs. La Grone met the love of her life, Joe Ben La Grone when they were teenagers in East Texas. They married on Feb. 13, 1965. Their shared life took them from Texas to Albuquerque, N.M.; Rochester, N.Y.; the Washington, D.C.; and San Francisco Bay areas as well as northern England in the Lake District.

Mrs. La Grone is preceded in death by her parents and brothers Billy Eugene McDaniel and Darrell Gaylon McDaniel; her father and mother in-law Temple D. and Zona Mae La Grone of Deadwood, Texas; sister-in-law Temple Mae Dickerson; and brothers in-law Troy Howard and Marlon Venson La Grone.

Mrs. La Grone is survived by family and friends by the hundreds, notably her husband Joe Ben La Grone of Oak Ridge; daughter Paige La Grone Babcock (Eric) of Nashville; daughter Dana La Grone Davis (Keith) of Oak Ridge; Jeffrey Shane LaGrone (Laura) also of Oak Ridge; and grandchildren Autumn Michelle and Haley Jo Davis, Olen Temple Babcock, and Audrey Lucille LaGrone and Leo LaGrone, to be born later this month. Mrs. La Grone is also mourned by her sister Patsy McDaniel Mills of Carthage, Texas; and special first cousins Christine Sinclair Stewart of Carthage, Texas, and Kay Cathey Weidner of Bixby, Okla. Mrs. La Grone will long be remembered by dear family friends Jo Wells Hunter, Fay Martin, and Peg Ashline, all of Oak Ridge.

Upon receiving her brain cancer diagnosis in 2011, Mrs. La Grone told her children her life’s wish for them was to: “Forgive, forgive, forgive. Love fully. And stay true to the Spirit of your Christian core.” It is in this light that the family will memorialize their beloved “Diggy” in a Celebration of Life service at her faith home, First United Methodist Church of Oak Ridge at 10 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 14, with the Minister Jenny Caughman officiating. Refreshments will be served following the service in Fellowship Hall.

In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully asks that donations be made to Mrs. La Grone’s favorite charities: Knox Area Rescue Mission, PO Box 3310, Knoxville, TN 37927 (http://www.karm.org/ Phone: 865-673-6540); Clinch River Home Health, Inc. 401 Sulphur Springs Road, PO Box 56, Clinton, TN 37717 (http://crhh.net/ Phone: 865-457-4263); Hiway, P.O. Box 3223, 3117 W. Marshall, Longview, TX 75604 (http://hiway80rm.org/ Phone 903.759.8101); or World Vision, P.O. Box 9716, Federal Way, WA 98063-9716 (http://www.worldvision.org/ Phone: (888) 511-6443).

An online guest book can be signed at www.weatherfordmortuary.com.