Bertha Wainwright Peyton

1928 - 2021

(News story) Bertha Wainwright Peyton, who brought music to multitudes - students in her Toledo classrooms or at the piano in her home; in concert and recital halls, or in church - died Jan. 2 in her Sylvania residence. She was 92.

The cause of death was not yet known, said Kimberly Caldwell, whose parents were close friends of Mrs. Peyton's.

"She was pretty spry until the end, very alert," Ms. Caldwell said. Mrs. Peyton regarded Ms. Caldwell and her brother, James M. Caldwell, one of her own, as though she adopted them.

Mrs. Peyton was a musician for several church congregations over time, the last 27 years at Payne Memorial AME Church in Holland. From her home piano, connected with other Payne worshipers via conference call, Mrs. Peyton last played for Payne services Dec. 27, Pastor Rose Russell said. She also served as the congregation's steward pro tem.

"Mrs. Peyton was the epitome of grace, in the natural sense and in the spiritual sense," Pastor Russell said. "She was always well dressed, always wore a hat, every hair in place. She was kind, and she had a very even way of speaking. She had a wonderful laugh, really a wonderful laugh.

"She was concerned about the church. She was always interested in learning more about the Bible. She was faithful in doing whatever one called her to do."

Ms. Caldwell said: "She was always making sure she lived the example of what you should aim to become."

Mrs. Peyton retired in 1995 as the music teacher and fine-arts chairman at Robinson Junior High School, where she'd been since 1970.

"She wanted to be able to use her musical gifts in a way to help other people," said Ms. Caldwell, a former piano student of hers.

Mrs. Peyton was black and knew she could serve as a role model to the largely African-American student body.

"Mrs. Peyton had an uncanny way of taking a youngster, and she would stir their interest," said Ms. Caldwell, a retired Toledo Public Schools administrator.

Mrs. Peyton listened to Bach and Brahms and James Brown, country music and the blues, gospel songs, and hymns.

"She was kind of like a cook. She would take what they knew and tie it into a different artform," Ms. Caldwell said. "She could take you from where you were and get you where you needed to be."

Before her Robinson assignment, Mrs. Peyton traveled as a music teacher among Navarre, Stickney, Birmingham, and Garfield schools.

She had a lived familiarity with music. A soprano, she sang in the Toledo Choral Society under longtime director Samuel P. Szor and in the Toledo Symphony chorale. In 1971, she and baritone David Carter, Scott High School's longtime choral music director, performed in recital at the Toledo Museum of Art.

"She was very diverse and gifted musically," Ms. Caldwell said. "She was fun to be around, because she knew so much. She could hear music on the radio and identify the artist."

She was a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and Top Ladies of Distinction, and led several Masonic organizations.

She was born Dec. 29, 1928, in Baltimore to James and Lessie Wainwright. Her interest in piano studies prompted her Aunt Ella to find a music teacher to develop her talents. She was a graduate of Baltimore's Frederick Douglass High School and majored in vocal music at Morgan State University, Baltimore before receiving a bachelor's degree from the former Mary Manse College in Toledo, with a major in voice and a minor in piano.

She was formerly married to the late Charles Peyton, Jr.

Survivors include her sons, Linwood Hall and Charles W. Peyton III; sister, Gloria Wainwright, and three grandchildren.

Visitation will be at 10 a.m. Friday with Eastern Star rites at 11 a.m. at Dale-Riggs Funeral Home. Funeral services will be private because of the coronavirus pandemic.

This is a news story by Mark Zaborney. Contact him at mzaborney@theblade.com.