Obituary for Margaret "Peggy" Meyer
One of Walsenburg’s finest has passed. Peggy Meyer, a long-time resident of Walsenburg, joined her Lord and those that proceeded her on February 12, 2023, just two months short of turning 94 years old.
Upon news of her passing, close friends and extended family members immediately commented on how gracious, classy, polite, and kind Peggy was to all she interacted with. Many mentioned that they are better people for knowing her. Peggy was one of many local members of the “Greatest Generation” that brought the Walsenburg community to the pinnacle of its grandeur. She participated in Walsenburg’s schools, businesses, clubs and church organizations that fostered a safe and enriched environment for their children to grow up and prosper in. Numerous baby boomers comment on what a wonderful childhood they had while growing up in Walsenburg and Peggy was one of the many women in the area that made that possible.
Peggy was born in Sumner, Mississippi on April 19, 1929 to Walter Crump and Margaret Unfug Crump, both previous residents of Walsenburg. Walter and Margaret soon moved to Mississippi Delta country to operate a family farm, but ended up building one of the most successful Ford tractor and automobile dealerships in the region instead. Betty Hunt was Peggy’s older sister and Marion Parks was her younger sister. The three Crump girls were very close throughout their lives and instilled their southern etiquette and love for others in their children. After graduating High School in Sumner, Peggy attended and received an Associate Degree in English from Belhaven College in May of 1949.
Shortly after graduation, Peggy traveled to Walsenburg to help an elderly aunt that just happened to have hired a local resident to do some work at her house. This resident happened to be Bob Meyer who grew up on one of Southern Colorado’s largest cattle and sheep ranches located near Gardner, CO. Some family members believe Aunt Fern was an excellent matchmaker and had the foresight to realize that opposites do attract as this cowboy and Southern Belle could not be more contrasting in personalities. Luckily for the cowboy, his mother Zula Meyer taught him well enough with respect to manners, etiquette, and social behavior, to enable Bob to catch the eye of this beautiful Southern Lady. After a short courtship, the two were married in the Sumner, Mississippi Presbyterian Church on April 9, 1950. Word has it that many of Sumner’s occupants were more than entertained during the short-term invasion of a handful of Colorado cowboys, but the trip to the south left impressions on those cowboys that they never forgot.
Bob and Peggy started their 61-year life together in Walsenburg with each one adapting to the other’s ways. Bob had it easy as he just had to behave himself, while Peggy had a greater challenge as she married not only a cowboy, but a mountain man as well. She never complained while bouncing around in an opened-top Willey’s jeep on four-wheeling trips; sleeping on cold, hard ground during many family/friends camping trips; hosting and cooking for “Wild Game” dinners; delivering home-cooked delicacies to hungry cowboys and cowgirls during branding sessions at their ranch near Walsenburg; along with many other adjustments. She had multitudes of accomplishments during her life, but getting Bob to behave fell short at times as evidenced by events such as his shooting a Frisbee out of the air during a family picnic. Her immaculate fashion sense impressed many and she even managed to upgrade Bob’s attire; apart from his habit of wearing cowboy boots with shorts during hot summer days.
During her prolonged life, Peggy’s Southern charm and decorum never faded as evidenced by her insistence that she had lipstick and ear rings on during her last days on earth. Over long periods of time away from her beloved Mississippi, her Southern accent would diminish somewhat, but after a short phone call with family and friends in the South, it would immediately return as strong as ever. Calls of “Ya’ll Come” meant meals were being served and her pronunciation of certain words never changed over time as workers at the local Texaco station heard when Peggy asked for some heating “all” (oil) to be delivered to the house. They later told Bob that they thought she was asking for laundry detergent. Peggy’s kids were used to being called “Mike-Mitch or Meryl-Lisa, so they learned to answer to almost any name spoken. Peggy was a very strong person as well as gracious and kind. When her 20 year old daughter Melissa was killed in an automobile accident, Peggy was the force that brought the whole family through their loss and grief. She found strength in her faith and the love of her family. Peggy dutifully watched over Bob’s care while he spent his last days at the Spanish Peaks Veterans Community Living Center and even washed the windows outside his room so that he could better enjoy the view. At the end, Peggy was at his bedside and held Bob in her arms as he passed.
Peggy is survived by children; Mike Meyer (Linda), Meryl Lee Seewald (Steve), and Mitch Meyer (Phyllis). Three grandchildren; Jenny Sloan (Kenny), Jeff Seewald (Leslie) and Dustin Meyer (Kelly) along with four great grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren have expanded Peggy’s family.
The Meyer family wants to give special recognition and thanks to those that provided 24/7 homecare for her during these past few years. Roberta Bustos, June Tenorio, Maribel Mendoza, and Jenny Berenger were the primary caregivers while several others, including members of Roberta’s immediate family, provided excellent care when they needed a break. Roberta’s team provided much more than traditional homecare for Peggy, as they embedded themselves into her life, learned to love her, and made her last years on earth the best they could be. Thanks to them, Peggy’s immediate family was able to be at her bedside when she passed. Longtime neighbors Roberta Bustos, Tony Garcia and their precious Ebony have done more for Peggy than anyone could possibly hope for and have become loved members of the Meyer family. Friends of both Bob and Peggy, too many to mention here by name, enriched her life with love and support during good times and bad. Members of the United Methodist Church of Walsenburg shared in Peggy’s celebration of God’s love, good graces, and blessings upon her family along with those she prayed with and for.
A memorial service for Peggy is to be held at the United Methodist Church (now known as the New Hope Ministries), located a 108 Kansas Avenue in Walsenburg, Colorado on April 15, 2023 at 2:00 PM. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that people send donations to the Melissa Meyer Scholarship Fund, care of Diane Sortore, PO Box 1121, La Veta, CO 81055. (please make checks out to Chapter BZ-PEO and add “Melissa Meyer Scholarship Fund” to the memo line.) Arrangement made by Boies-Ortega Funeral Home.
Upon news of her passing, close friends and extended family members immediately commented on how gracious, classy, polite, and kind Peggy was to all she interacted with. Many mentioned that they are better people for knowing her. Peggy was one of many local members of the “Greatest Generation” that brought the Walsenburg community to the pinnacle of its grandeur. She participated in Walsenburg’s schools, businesses, clubs and church organizations that fostered a safe and enriched environment for their children to grow up and prosper in. Numerous baby boomers comment on what a wonderful childhood they had while growing up in Walsenburg and Peggy was one of the many women in the area that made that possible.
Peggy was born in Sumner, Mississippi on April 19, 1929 to Walter Crump and Margaret Unfug Crump, both previous residents of Walsenburg. Walter and Margaret soon moved to Mississippi Delta country to operate a family farm, but ended up building one of the most successful Ford tractor and automobile dealerships in the region instead. Betty Hunt was Peggy’s older sister and Marion Parks was her younger sister. The three Crump girls were very close throughout their lives and instilled their southern etiquette and love for others in their children. After graduating High School in Sumner, Peggy attended and received an Associate Degree in English from Belhaven College in May of 1949.
Shortly after graduation, Peggy traveled to Walsenburg to help an elderly aunt that just happened to have hired a local resident to do some work at her house. This resident happened to be Bob Meyer who grew up on one of Southern Colorado’s largest cattle and sheep ranches located near Gardner, CO. Some family members believe Aunt Fern was an excellent matchmaker and had the foresight to realize that opposites do attract as this cowboy and Southern Belle could not be more contrasting in personalities. Luckily for the cowboy, his mother Zula Meyer taught him well enough with respect to manners, etiquette, and social behavior, to enable Bob to catch the eye of this beautiful Southern Lady. After a short courtship, the two were married in the Sumner, Mississippi Presbyterian Church on April 9, 1950. Word has it that many of Sumner’s occupants were more than entertained during the short-term invasion of a handful of Colorado cowboys, but the trip to the south left impressions on those cowboys that they never forgot.
Bob and Peggy started their 61-year life together in Walsenburg with each one adapting to the other’s ways. Bob had it easy as he just had to behave himself, while Peggy had a greater challenge as she married not only a cowboy, but a mountain man as well. She never complained while bouncing around in an opened-top Willey’s jeep on four-wheeling trips; sleeping on cold, hard ground during many family/friends camping trips; hosting and cooking for “Wild Game” dinners; delivering home-cooked delicacies to hungry cowboys and cowgirls during branding sessions at their ranch near Walsenburg; along with many other adjustments. She had multitudes of accomplishments during her life, but getting Bob to behave fell short at times as evidenced by events such as his shooting a Frisbee out of the air during a family picnic. Her immaculate fashion sense impressed many and she even managed to upgrade Bob’s attire; apart from his habit of wearing cowboy boots with shorts during hot summer days.
During her prolonged life, Peggy’s Southern charm and decorum never faded as evidenced by her insistence that she had lipstick and ear rings on during her last days on earth. Over long periods of time away from her beloved Mississippi, her Southern accent would diminish somewhat, but after a short phone call with family and friends in the South, it would immediately return as strong as ever. Calls of “Ya’ll Come” meant meals were being served and her pronunciation of certain words never changed over time as workers at the local Texaco station heard when Peggy asked for some heating “all” (oil) to be delivered to the house. They later told Bob that they thought she was asking for laundry detergent. Peggy’s kids were used to being called “Mike-Mitch or Meryl-Lisa, so they learned to answer to almost any name spoken. Peggy was a very strong person as well as gracious and kind. When her 20 year old daughter Melissa was killed in an automobile accident, Peggy was the force that brought the whole family through their loss and grief. She found strength in her faith and the love of her family. Peggy dutifully watched over Bob’s care while he spent his last days at the Spanish Peaks Veterans Community Living Center and even washed the windows outside his room so that he could better enjoy the view. At the end, Peggy was at his bedside and held Bob in her arms as he passed.
Peggy is survived by children; Mike Meyer (Linda), Meryl Lee Seewald (Steve), and Mitch Meyer (Phyllis). Three grandchildren; Jenny Sloan (Kenny), Jeff Seewald (Leslie) and Dustin Meyer (Kelly) along with four great grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren have expanded Peggy’s family.
The Meyer family wants to give special recognition and thanks to those that provided 24/7 homecare for her during these past few years. Roberta Bustos, June Tenorio, Maribel Mendoza, and Jenny Berenger were the primary caregivers while several others, including members of Roberta’s immediate family, provided excellent care when they needed a break. Roberta’s team provided much more than traditional homecare for Peggy, as they embedded themselves into her life, learned to love her, and made her last years on earth the best they could be. Thanks to them, Peggy’s immediate family was able to be at her bedside when she passed. Longtime neighbors Roberta Bustos, Tony Garcia and their precious Ebony have done more for Peggy than anyone could possibly hope for and have become loved members of the Meyer family. Friends of both Bob and Peggy, too many to mention here by name, enriched her life with love and support during good times and bad. Members of the United Methodist Church of Walsenburg shared in Peggy’s celebration of God’s love, good graces, and blessings upon her family along with those she prayed with and for.
A memorial service for Peggy is to be held at the United Methodist Church (now known as the New Hope Ministries), located a 108 Kansas Avenue in Walsenburg, Colorado on April 15, 2023 at 2:00 PM. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that people send donations to the Melissa Meyer Scholarship Fund, care of Diane Sortore, PO Box 1121, La Veta, CO 81055. (please make checks out to Chapter BZ-PEO and add “Melissa Meyer Scholarship Fund” to the memo line.) Arrangement made by Boies-Ortega Funeral Home.