The Summer 'one-service' Sundays combined the 8 0'clock 'world' with the 10:30 'world', and we were able to worship together on a regular basis. An interesting outcome of that was that people noticed 'new' faces. Of course they weren't really new faces, it was simply that we had the leisure to notice people. This month, Father Jim asked me to write about the following couple of '8 o'clockers'…..

Spotlight
On
Peggy and Gordon Woodall

The front door stands open as I walk along the pathway to the house, Gordon welcomes me & bids me enter, on doing so, there is Peggy..with her 'light-up-the-world' smile, low-pitched London accent, and refreshingly down-to-earth manner…..definitely one of my favourite people. We sit at the kitchen table - in England that's a compliment - and the interview begins.

       Peggy was born in Islington, London, on December 13th, 1931, to Emma and Walter Blackhurst. [If you aren't familiar with London, Islington is located in the northern part, its history is one of the oldest in London with its beginning in medieval times as an overnight stopping place when herdsmen took cattle to Smithfield.] When Peggy lived there it was home to such prestigious places as the Sadler's Wells Ballet Company, & famous writers Evelyn Waugh and Nancy Mitford.

       The youngest of five children, Peggy grew up in a loving family, enjoying a close relationship that has continued throughout their lives. She went to Ritchie Street school and attended the local Catholic church, a very happy life. In 1939, England declared war on Hitler's regime, and Peggy's life changed dramatically. As the war progressed, all young children in London were evacuated to the country for their safety. At the young age of 8, Peggy, along with many other children, was sent by train to Southern England. Although she was quartered with a very nice family, Peggy was very unhappy. She missed her mum, & the country way of life was very different from city life, so she ran away……twice….. of course, she didn't get far and was quickly returned to her temporary home. She stayed in Somerset for a couple of years, then returned to London. A child sees a war differently from an adult, and even the bombing of her home seemed more of an adventure than anything; however, six years of war disrupted daily living…you couldn't go to school or church if you were in an air raid shelter being bombed.

       The same year that Peggy was born in England, across the Atlantic, her future husband was making his entrée into the world in Scottsboro, Alabama. Gordon was born on the 31st of December, 1931 to Lilly and Walter Woodall. He was one of eleven children in a wonderful, if slightly chaotic, family. They lived in the family farmhouse on 180 acres of land, with the main income coming from Walter's work in the sawmill business. There is something special about the generation that grew up during the depression years. Most seem to have a strong work ethic, have a firm understanding of the value of money, and are imbued with the 'family needs before personal needs' credo. Gordon is no different, he talks about going to Skyline High School, bluntly adding that if there was need of his help on the farm, then that came before school. In those difficult days, it went without saying that family came first. Gordon goes on to tell me how his school was the most modern in Northern Alabama, built by the Tennessee Valley Authority during its work to support the war effort. [The work created 28,000 new jobs, hence the need for schools.] It was the first school to have a lunch room….where milk cost 3 cents.

       In a family of eleven children you don't get a whole lot of individual attention from parents, so some of Gordon's favourite memories are of trips to his aunt's home, in Paintrock Valley, with one or the other of his siblings. His aunt didn't have children so it was a wonderful opportunity for some much appreciated spoiling!

       When his schooling was over, Gordon first went to work in the sawmill, eventually leaving to join the army.

       In the meantime, Peggy had finished school and was working as a secretary. Peggy's sisters were living in Camden, South Carolina, and it was decided that Peggy should visit. As family holidays after the war had been spent on the beautiful Isle of Wight, a trip to America would be quite a different adventure.

       By this time Gordon was stationed at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. Perhaps it was 'meant' that two people who shared birthdays in December, one on the 31st and the other on the 13th, of the same year, both with fathers called Walter, should meet and eventually marry. Meant or not, they did indeed marry and began life together as a military family. After his military service, which included a tour to Germany, Gordon brought Peggy to Charleston and started his own business: Woodall's Construction.

       Peggy went to MUSC where she was trained - and worked - as a CPT (Cardio-Pulmonary Technician). She is now retired.

       Peggy and Gordon have two children: Kim and Russell (a.k.a. Rusty) and three grandchildren: Katie, Melinda and Mathew. They are a very close, loving family. Gordon has retired and the business, Woodall's Construction Inc., has now passed to Rusty.

       Although Gordon had been brought up in the Baptist faith, when he and Peggy lived in Camden they had joined the Presbyterian church with Peggy's sisters; however, when they came to Charleston, they became friends with some of the St. Thomas people (For example:Ty Owens was one of Gordon's golfing partners, Ruth Coyle was a neighbour….to name just two) & in the early 70's they joined our church. They are faithful attendees when they are in town…if you don't see them in church, they have loaded the RV and are off on their travels.

       We talked about some of their favourite travel destinations. Gordon's favourite destination was to Kansas: to Laramie, and to Abilene where President Eisenhower is buried. Peggy really likes to go to Boone in North Carolina. She gives a little chuckle as Gordon reminds her that she used to like to go to Las Vegas, then she tells me that when all of her sisters were alive they enjoyed the fun atmosphere , and attractions, of Vegas.

       The talk moves back to Peggy's family….her mum lived with her until she died, and as I write that I remember that Peggy's mum was one of the first people I chatted to when I moved to the neighbourhood, long before I got to meet Peggy. Sadly, there is only one of Peggy's sisters still living (Joan, in Mount Pleasant), two of them having passed away fairly recently. She misses them very much. When you are lucky enough to have a close, loving relationship with your sisters, and you spend a great deal of time together, so much so that it supersedes all other friendships, death leaves a huge gap.

       These days, when they aren't travelling around the country, Gordon likes sports, although these days more as a spectator than a participant. Peggy likes to knit and to read…her favourite author is Stephen King. They both like to spend time with their grandchildren, actually.. Peggy says they are her favourite hobby!

       We got round to talking about favourite quotes….it was interesting to hear Gordon, the ex-Army man, quote one of Winston Churchill's famously brief, pithy speeches: "Never, ever, give-up!" and equally interesting to hear Peggy's favourite: "The only way evil can triumph over good, is for good to do nothing…." Peggy is remarkable in that she never judges people…..ever. Her credo is "Judge not, lest ye be judged."

       As the interview is winding down, Gordon starts to talk about when they are at the campgrounds. He says that people are always fascinated by Peggy's stories of growing-up during the war years in England. He says that people will listen as long as they can keep her talking, & that her stories are far more interesting than his. Peggy's stories are fascinating, but Gordon sells himself short because he, also, has a fund of interesting memories to share. This article is just a brief outline of their lives, but I hope it gives you some idea of what fine people they are.