Peggy J Dys

July 5, 1926 - March 24, 2021

With a broken heart, Deanna Dys, announces that her mother Peggy, 94, passed away on March 24th, 2021. Peggy went to the hospital on February 26th and required emergency major abdominal surgery the following day. She fought like a trouper with the utmost kindness, love, humor, and grace that was her nature, but she was ultimately unable to recover from the extensive surgery. Deanna was by her side every step of the way and was lying next to her, holding her at the time of her passing. A scholarship is being set up in Peggy's name at Noretta Dunworth School of Dance where Peggy worked for almost 20 years, laughed, made lifelong friends, and where her daughter studied dance. The scholarship will go to a deserving young dance student to help pay for their dance education and dancing dreams this coming fall when classes begin for the 2021-22 season. For more details about the scholarship and to donate to the "Peggy Dys Memorial Dance Scholarship" please contact Peggy's daughter Deanna at [email protected] for information. Peggy was born in Herrin, Illinois July 5th, 1926 and moved to Michigan with her family as a young girl. As a teenager she was the 1941 local jitterbug champion and worked as an usherette at the Fox Theatre in downtown Detroit. After high school she began working as a telephone operator at Ford Motor’s famous Rotunda building. She worked her way up to supervisor of telephone operations at Ford Motor Headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan where she worked for over 25 years. After retiring from the Ford Motor Company she found herself becoming the office manager at the studio where her daughter studied dance, Noretta Dunworth School of Dance. She loved being around the kids, watching the dancing, delighted in their recitals, and formed a forever friendship with the owner, Noretta and her daughter, Loni. She worked there from 1981 until she moved to Clearwater, Florida in 2001. Peggy loved live musical theatre. She took great joy in visiting her daughter in New York City and numerous cities across the country to watch her performances. She loved taking in the shows and the lights of Broadway. Her favorite musicals were 42nd Street and Annie Get Your Gun. Her favorite places to visit in New York were the famed theatre restaurant Sardi’s and Tavern on the Green in Central Park. A huge supporter of live theatre Peggy loved seeing shows down here in Florida and went to the theatre every chance she got. Peggy was very active with the Welcome Newcomers Group and the Michigan Club. For many years she planned and hosted the annual Ford Motor Retiree’s luncheon at the Belleair Country Club. Soon after moving to Clearwater she planned and organized the monthly luncheons for the residents of her community for years. Peggy loved playing Canasta. She belonged to numerous card groups that played a few times a month at the Clearwater Country Club and made lifelong friends with those ladies. Peggy was an amateur costume designer, although her work was anything but amateur. She excelled in intricate beadwork and starting beading in 1973. If you ever saw her in an outfit that had beading on it the odds were she had done the beadwork herself. Peggy enjoyed visiting Las Vegas. Her and her daughter made many trips to Las Vegas together over the years. They took in the stage shows, ate at the fabulous restaurants, went up and down the strip taking in the sights, and of course played the slots, which Peggy loved to play, win or lose. On one trip while having lunch outside at Olives at the Bellagio Hotel, the wind shifted and the famous fountains created a tidal wave of water onto the deck of the restaurant drenching both of them to their core. The hotel said that was the only time in the history of the fountains that had happened. (Lunch was on the hotel). Her and her daughter would, on occasion, head to the Hard Rock Casino in Tampa for a fun day out and pretend they were back in Vegas. Peggy stayed up to date on current affairs, read the newspaper cover to cover, and religiously did the crossword puzzle every day, always proudly completing it. She had a super quick wit, was incredibly giving, patient and kind. She had a heart totally full of love. Back in January Peggy and her daughter brought out about 1,000 photo slides her father had taken that had family photos, some dating back 70 years, of which Peggy had not seen in years, and in many cases Deanna had never seen. It was a special bonding time going through those photos, hearing the stories associated with them, and remembering the days past. During the height of the pandemic her daughter and her would take weekly drives to the beach, Honeymoon Island, and Phillipe Park to breathe, watch the beautiful water and sunsets. They played dominoes and cards together, and watched a movie or binged a tv series with popcorn almost every night. They would have a “happy hour” every now and then in the driveway bringing their chairs out to the yard and listening to the birds. They laughed, fought, and cried together during this time. After recently being vaccinated against Covid 19 she was making plans with her daughter to finally get dressed up and get out of the house. Peggy loved to get dressed up and go out for dinner. She was looking forward to seeing her dear friend Lee, playing cards with her M and M ladies, and visiting her favorite restaurants, Island Way Grill and Frenchy's on the Beach. A 28 year survivor of colon cancer she was a member of support groups in Michigan and Florida. She spent time helping to counsel people who had gone through similar circumstances and surgeries. Peggy was married for 51 years to Joseph J. Dys before his passing in 1998. They met at a local social club in Michigan when Joe came back from World War 2. Peggy is survived by her beloved daughter, Deanna Lynn. A memorial “Celebration of Life” is being planned. Details will be announced as soon as they are confirmed. GOD SAW THAT SHE WAS GETTING TIRED AND A CURE WAS NOT TO BE, SO HE PUT HIS ARMS AROUND HER AND WHISPERED “COME HOME WITH ME.” WITH TEARFUL EYES WE WATCHED HER SUFFER AND SAW HER FADE AWAY, ALTHOUGH WE LOVED HER DEARLY, WE COULD NOT MAKE HER STAY. A GOLDEN HEART STOPPED BEATING, A DETERMINED SPIRIT WAS AT REST, GOD BROKE OUR HEARTS TO PROVE TO US, HE ONLY TAKES THE BEST.