Margaret A. “Peggy” Stafford of Virginia Beach, Virginia passed away peacefully at her home on July 18, 2024, after a three-year battle with cancer. She was born on August 25, 1952, to the late Francis and Constance Goggin of Seekonk, Massachusetts and was named after her beloved grandmother Margaret Ann Beattie.
Peggy grew up working on the family dairy farm while attending Catholic school. She attended Rivier College in Nashua, New Hampshire where she earned her bachelor’s degree in home economics. She later earned her master’s degree in administration and supervision from McDaniel College in Westminster, Maryland.
After graduation, Peggy moved to Southern Maryland where she accepted a teaching job with Charles County Public Schools ultimately expanding her career of 34 years until her retirement in 2008. She began her teaching career at General Smallwood Middle School and then transferred to Benjamin Stoddert Middle School.
In 1992, she was part of the inaugural team that opened Westlake High School in Waldorf, Maryland. Peggy was highly regarded by students and staff at all the schools where she taught but found her special calling at Westlake where she established the child development program and fashion merchandising curriculum along with the very popular DECA – Distributive Education Clubs of America. She received numerous achievement awards and accolades from the Maryland State Department of Education. Peggy had a special gift of forging positive, interpersonal relationships with the most challenging students who needed her nurturing and accountability at the same time. In 1999, Peggy was promoted to Coordinator of Career and Technology Education at the district level where she expanded her leadership abilities to promote opportunities for the entire county of over 23,000 students. Specifically, she was recognized for her efforts in organizing the annual Freedom Day Parades for veterans.
While at Westlake, Peggy met the love of her life and best friend James “Jim” Stafford, and they married on May 23, 2001. After their retirements, Peggy and Jim settled permanently in Virginia Beach and enjoyed traveling the country in their RV, but their most frequent and favorite adventures led them to their hometowns in New England – Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. Jim was her primary caregiver as she fought the good fight and remained by her side for better or worse. Their love story was truly remarkable, one that will always be admired and remembered.
Peggy Stafford was an accomplished seamstress, baker, cake decorator, floral arranger, and woodworker to name a few of her many talents. She tackled everything with the greatest attention to detail in mind because her mantra was “Presentation is everything.” Her work ethic was unparalleled to any which is attributed to her strong faith in God, life growing up on a dairy farm, making her own clothes, and her Irish heritage. She had a keen wit, sense of humor and razor-sharp ability to give the greatest “comebacks” of all time. Above all, Peggy was a devoted and loving wife and fiercely loyal friend.
In addition to her parents, Peggy was predeceased by four of her cat children, Sparky, Boo, Gracie, and Zippy. She is survived by her husband of 23 years James “Jim” Stafford, her four cat children, Maggie, Sissy, Lilly, and Raphael, and her most cherished friend Kathy Perriello of Maryland.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Cancer Society.
