Peggy Jean Bockhoff
Peggy Jean Bockhoff (nee Williams), 91, died Saturday, June 29, 2019 at Medical City Hospital in Plano. Visitation will be held from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Friday, July 5, 2019 at Lunn Funeral Home in Olney. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, July 6, 2019, in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church with the pastor, Rev. David Carpenter officiating. Burial will follow at Restland Cemetery in Olney under the direction of Lunn Funeral Home.
Born November 4th, 1927 in Hominy, Oklahoma, she was the daughter of Laura Mae (Adams) and Walter Everett Williams, the youngest of three children, brother Terry Marvin Williams and sister Betty Jo (Williams) Woods. The Williams family moved to Olney when Peggy was two years old. Peggy began a lifelong love of learning under the tutelage of Miss Mattie and learned to read in kindergarten. She continued to excel in her studies in elementary school. She played softball as a young child and passed on her love of sports to her children. Her father, Walt, managed a cafe near where the Downtown Men’s Bible Study now stands, and later operated the Day and Night Grocery down the street from Olney Elementary School. The store moved and became ThrifTee Foods, and then Stewart’s. After she graduated from Olney High School at age sixteen, she worked at First National Bank of Olney for two years where she met a new guy in town from Indiana who came to Texas to invest in the oil business. The young man was William “Bill” Frederick Bockhoff II, who quickly fell in love with his buddy Terry’s sister. Peggy started college at Texas Women’s University in Denton, frequently exchanging romantic letters with her boyfriend. She returned to Olney to marry Bill on September 6, 1946, and although automobile travel was difficult due to the war effort rationing gas and tires, the newlyweds drove across country when only dirt roads led to Estes Park, Yellowstone and the Pacific Northwest. After their honeymoon, they moved east where Bill earned a degree in mechanical engineering at Purdue University. They then moved to Richmond, Indiana where Bill worked for his father, Harry Bockhoff, President of NATCO (National Automatic Tool Company). Their first child, Candace Jean, was born there in 1948. The young family returned to Olney and purchased a home at 408 West Elm Street that had belonged to the Woods family, whose son, John, married Peggy’s sister, Betty Jo. Their children, John Carlton, Joe Don, Vicki Ann, and Jim Barry grew up with Peggy’s brother, Terry’s children, Laura Lee, Tim and Chris Williams. Peggy and Bill added to their family with the births of Patricia Ann, Pamela Joy, Jan Annette and William Scott. All the cousins grew very close with many holidays celebrated through the gracious hospitality of “Aunt Peggy”, building relationships enjoyed by the family for generations yet to come. Summers took the Bockhoffs to the Rocky Mountains in their 24 ft. Boles Aero trailer pulled by a series of Oldsmobiles. Colorado memories were made in Boulder and Estes Park visiting Sig and Judith (McClatchy of Olney) Schielke and their children Rhonda, Leon, Reed and Ronald.
Peggy was baptized in the Methodist Church at eight years of age, and as an adult grew in her faith and love of God as a lifelong member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Throughout her life she served her community; as President of the Amity Club, President of the PTA, and served with the Cumberland Presbyterian Women.
She is survived by daughters Dr. Candy (Michael) Major of Lampasas, TX, Patty (Kurt) Gattmann of Longmont, Colorado, Pam Link of Plano, TX, Annette (Tim) Heckmann of Coppell, TX and son, Scott (Larelle) Bockhoff of Kerrville, TX; 13 grandchildren, 10 great grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews and many beloved friends. She is preceded in death by her parents, husband and siblings.
Memorials may be made to: Cumberland Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 573, Olney, Texas 76374; Hamilton Hospital Foundation, P.O. Box 158, Olney, Texas 76374; or to the American Parkinson Disease Association at www.apdaparkinson.org.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.lunnfuneralhome.com.
The family would like to thank Peggy’s many friends for the love and care they showed her, and the many Doctors, Nurses and caregivers at Hamilton Hospital, Sunrise Assisted Living and Medical City Plano.