Peyton Eggleston

Peyton Archer Eggleston, MD, age 86, of Baltimore, Maryland, passed away peacefully on January 7, 2026, in the city he called home.

Ask anyone to describe Peyton, and the first word that inevitably comes to mind is kind. His kindness was quiet but unmistakable, expressed not in grand gestures but in attentiveness, patience, and a genuine interest in others. It lived in the way he listened, in his generosity with time and expertise, and in the warmth of his distinct, welcoming laugh.

Born on August 14, 1939, in Santa Monica, California, Peyton was the son of John Randolph Eggleston, MD, and Betty Brewer Eggleston. His early childhood unfolded against the backdrop of World War II, marked by frequent moves related to his father's service as a medical officer in the Army. From California to Tennessee, Georgia, Maryland, and ultimately Virginia, these formative years instilled adaptability, curiosity, and a lifelong sense of perspective. The family settled in Danville, Virginia, where Peyton spent the remainder of his youth. There, he distinguished himself academically, socially and athletically, including as an all-district offensive tackle, carrying forward a lasting respect for teamwork, discipline, and steady perseverance.

After graduating high school, he attended the University of Virginia and earned his Bachelor of Arts in History. He served as editor-in-chief of Corks and Curls, the school's yearbook. In his fourth year, he was one of the few students honored to live in one of the University's lawn rooms.

Following in the footsteps of his father, Peyton earned his medical degree from the University of Virginia School of Medicine in 1965, where he was one of five medical students elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society. He completed his pediatric internship at Vanderbilt University. He then received advance research and clinical training in Pediatric Allergy and Immunology at the University of Washington in Seattle, where he served as chief resident. In his last year of fellowship, his daughter A. Meade Eggleston was born.

Between medical school and his specialty training, he was drafted into the Navy in 1966. Peyton served as an officer in the medical corps and deployed to Vietnam shortly after completing officer's school. While deployed, he treasured his work in the Medical Civilian Action Program (Med-CAP) and his collaboration with a local physician that culminated in the creation of a hospital serving the Vietnamese people impacted by the war. He returned to Vietnam in 2000 and reconnected with his colleague and friend, who was then director of a major medical center.

In 1972, Peyton returned to the University of Virginia School of Medicine as a faculty member. Shortly after moving to Charlottesville, Virginia with his family, his son Stephen W. Eggleston was born. In 1981, he was recruited to Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (JHU) to build and lead its pediatric allergy program. He and his family moved to Baltimore in 1982. While at JHU, he rose to the rank of tenured Professor (research) in 1992 and received a joint appointment in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences in the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health in 1998.

Until his retirement in 2006, Peyton exemplified the ideal physician-scientist. He led a series of landmark studies defining the relationship between pediatric asthma and allergen exposures in the home environment. He received numerous NIH grants, published extensively, and was internationally recognized for work that reshaped understanding and treatment of childhood asthma and allergy. He was a consummate mentor and had immense faith in his mentees, which empowered them to realize successes that they might not have otherwise. He was also a superb clinician, deeply beloved by his patients and their families, who trusted him not only for his expertise but for his compassion.

Beyond medicine, Peyton lived richly and with curiosity. His love for "all things nautical" began in childhood at 10 years building model boats and never waned. He was an avid reader, especially of nautical history; a skilled woodworker and boatwright; and a meticulous model boat builder who helped repair model ships for the Naval Academy museum. He was a devoted patron of the arts. He collected prints and drawings, including a large collection of Diebenkorn's work, worked with Smithsonian staff to develop a catalog raisonee for photographer and relative William Eggleston, and was member and president of the Baltimore Museum of Arts Print and Drawing Society for many years. He was a great cook and a joyful participant in life's smaller rituals, including lively games of Pinochle with friends and fiercely competitive Scrabble matches with his wife, Elaine. As a father, he was playful, loving and steadfast. Among family and friends, he was known for his easy manner, generosity, and sharp wit.

In 2009, Peyton and Elaine purchased a home on Little Cranberry Island, in the village of Islesford, Maine, where Peyton found a community that perfectly matched his values. Over the course of 15 cherished summers, he became deeply involved in island life. He offered his medical expertise freely, serving as one of the island's few EMTs, and contributed countless hours to community projects, including the renovation of the Neighborhood House.

He was also the quiet cornerstone of Islesford Boatworks, the community-based boatbuilding program on the island. On any given day, one might find Peyton in the shop, working alongside children and adults, sharing his skills with patience, humility, and unfailing generosity. Less visible, but even more enduring, was his steady behind-the-scenes devotion to grant writing, management and development. It is no exaggeration to say that without Peyton, Islesford Boatworks would not exist as it does today. His influence endures in every boat built, every lesson taught, and every life touched there.

In all the places he lived and served, Peyton's presence carried the same quiet consistency. His kindness shaped his science, his teaching, his friendships, and his communities. It was present in his mentorship, in the care he offered patients, in his devotion as a husband, father and grandfather, in the meals he prepared, in the games he played, and in the laughter that followed him through a room. Kindness was not simply one of his traits; it was the way he moved through the world.

To his grandchildren, he was affectionately known as "Doc," a title that blended admiration with warmth. He is survived by his beloved wife, Elaine Chilcoat Eggleston; his children Stephen W. Eggleston and A. Meade Eggleston, PhD, and her husband Jamie H. Ealy; his stepchildren Loretta C. Jergensen and her husband Brad E. Jergensen, and Tom R. Chilcoat; and his grandchildren Emaline B. Jergensen, Ruby E. Jergensen, Nicholas R. Chilcoat, Lucy F. Chilcoat, and Sarah Beth Ealy. He is also survived by his brother, Robert "Bob" B. Eggleston, MD.

A Celebration of Life will be held on March 8, 2026, from 12:30 PM to 04:30 PM at Gramercy Mansion 1400 Greenspring Valley Rd.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Peyton's memory may be made to Islesford Boatworks (https://islesfordboatworks.org/) or to the Betty Williams Brewer Research Foundation (https://www.bcf.org/fund/brewer/).