Peggy Murphree

Peggy Amelia
Mayer Murphree
July 16, 1925- January 26, 2012
Hendersonville
Peggy Amelia Mayer Murphree, 86, of Hendersonville, died Thursday, January 26, 2012 at Lake Pointe Landing.
She was born on July 16, 1925, in Baltimore, MD to the late Jacob Mayer and Louisa Axt Mayer. She was also preceded in death by her loving husband of 65 years, Capt. Hugh D. Murphree.
She attended The Park School and the Peabody Institute of Music in Baltimore, and attended Hollins College in Roanoke, VA. Peggy was a dance instructor for Arthur Murray Dance Studios. She was a Harry Conover model ("Conover Cover Girl") in New York.
She married Hugh Dyer Murphree after his graduation from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1944. They spent 30 years in the Navy, with Peggy volunteering endless hours for Navy Relief. In Norfolk, VA, she painted murals on Navy nursery and Sunday school walls. In Connecticut, she was vice president of the PTA, instrumental in establishing the school library, superintendent of Sunday school at Gales Ferry Methodist Church, choreographer and parody writer of several productions of the annual Ledyard Volunteer Fire Dept. show.
When they moved to Key West, FL, in 1972, Peggy became vice president of Old Island Restoration Foundation, program chairman for the San Carlos Institute, and chairman of the Founders Society for the Tennessee Williams Fine Arts Center. She worked in public relations for Key West Hand Prints and produced fashion shows all over Florida with Lilly Pulitzer's designs and K.W.H.P. fashions. Peggy served on the board of the Florida Keys Community College and the annual Key West Literary Seminar.
She is survived by her four children, Hugh Dyer Murphree, Jr., of Hendersonville, Troy Louisa Murphree, of San Diego, CA, Jo Murphree Naglich, of Raleigh, and Sander Murphree Schaefer, of Homer, GA; six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her two brothers, Col. Jack Mayer, of Chester, VA, and Kemp Mayer, of Parkville, MD.
A memorial service will be held in Annapolis, MD at a later date.
A register book is available online for family and friends by visiting www.thosshepherd.com. Thos. Shepherd & Son Funeral Directors and Cremation Memorial Center is in charge of arrangements.