Peggy Walsleben Thompson

KENNEDALE - Peggy Walsleben Huffman Thompson, 86, passed away on May 29, 2024.
Visitation: 6 - 8 p.m.Thursday, June 13, 2024, at Greenwood Funeral Home in Memorial Suite A; 3344 White Settlement Rd., Fort Worth, Texas 76107. Funeral: 2:30 p.m. Friday, June 14, 2024, in Live Oak Chapel at Greenwood; 3100 White Settlement Rd., Fort Worth, Texas 76107.
Peggy was born on July 9, 1937, in Clifton, Texas, the youngest child of Herbert and Eleanor Walsleben. Peggy had two siblings, an older sister, Mary Ann Stegall and an older brother, Herbert Paul Walsleben Jr. The family moved to Fort Worth in 1944 when Peggy was seven where she attended Daggett Elementary and Junior High and Paschal High School. She was awarded a scholarship to Texas Christian University, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1959 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. She then entered the University of Texas School of Law in Austin and received her Doctor of Jurisprudence in 1961. She was licensed to practice law in the State of Texas in 1962.
Peggy was a hard worker and worked after school, took Distributive Education in her senior year of high school and worked part time while attending both college and law school. Although licensed to practice law, securing employment in law firms proved difficult for a woman in 1962. Peggy's first job as an attorney was as the Executive Director of the Fort Worth Legal Foundation's Legal Aid Clinic. She served in this capacity for almost ten years, representing clients in domestic matters, child support, and other problems common to low-income households. She represented, on average, eighteen hundred clients each year. While serving in this capacity, Peggy was very active in the United Way and was well acquainted with all the social service agencies in the community and was a frequent speaker at federal prisons and United Way campaigns.
In 1972, Peggy became employed as an Attorney Advisor in the Real Estate Division of the Fort Worth District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. When she retired in 1992, after twenty years in the Corps of Engineers, she was serving as the Senior Attorney and advisor to the Chief of Real Estate. While with the Corps, Peggy received numerous commendations and recognitions and served as a Special Instructor for the Washington office of the Chief of Engineers.
Peggy was a Past President of the Fort Worth Chapter of the Federal Bar Association. She was also active in International Training in Communication and won several speech contests over the years.
Peggy married Madrin Huffman, the County Clerk of Tarrant County, in 1965 and they adopted their only son, Richard, in 1968.
Throughout her life Peggy was guided by her faith in God and Jesus Christ and was a regular at church often singing in the choir in her younger days and later working with children and youth ministries. She was formerly a member of Travis Avenue, Broadway, and Ridglea Baptist churches in Fort Worth, North Pointe church in Copperas Cove, and Rush Creek church in Mansfield.
She loved genealogy and spent much time searching into the family history of both her parents and made the fruits of her efforts available to family members. Much of what is known about the earliest family history of the Goldens and Walslebens is owed to her diligent research including their roots in the Old Country.
Peggy loved to travel and both of her husbands (Madrin and later on in her life Ed) were willing participants who loved to travel with her. She traveled to Europe many times; the Mediterranean and the Holy Land many times; many cruises all over the world, trips across Texas, and trips to visit relatives in California. If there was one thing, she loved to do more than anything else, it was travel. She wanted to see the world and she did.
After her retirement in 1992, Peggy was Madrin's constant caregiver until his death on August 9, 1995, from complications due to Parkinson's disease.
On November 23rd, 1996, Peggy married the second love of her life, Ed Thompson, a football coach and history teacher. Together, they moved to Copperas Cove, Texas, where she began a new chapter in her life. In Copperas Cove, she was very active at North Pointe Church, very active in the Coryell County political scene, and very active with the local middle school where Ed taught and coached.
On December 30, 2011, Peggy welcomed her granddaughter, Sara Diane Huffman into the world and the two of them made quite a pair; sharing a love for puzzles, games, and snacks.
Throughout her life one of the things Peggy loved the most was family, especially big family get-togethers with food, games, fellowship, and love.
Peggy is survived by her husband, Ed Thompson; son, Richard Huffman and his wife, Kay Huffman; granddaughters, Sara Huffman and Mimi Tarnowieckyi and her husband, Scott; great-granddaughters, Ella and Iris Tarnowieckyi; brother-in-Law, Don Stegall; sister-in-Law, Maxine Walsleben; nieces, Becca Norman and husband, David, and Jennifer Kennedy and husband, Tim; nephews, Robert Stegall and wife, Lisa, Paul Walsleben and wife, Dina, Terry Huffman and wife, Moon, and Timmy Huffman and wife. She is also survived by a host of great nieces, great nephews, and cousins.
Favorite scripture: Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through
Christ which strengtheneth me."