Peggy Ann Vanderford

Muskogee resident, Peggy Ann Anderson Vanderford, age 89, died Tuesday, March 17, 2020. Peggy was born in Ellisville, Mississippi, to Earl T. and Lena Sue Bond Anderson. She was a graduate of Jones County Junior College in Ellisville, Mississippi. After a whirlwind, 27 day courtship, she married U.S. Air Force Staff Sergeant, Bobbie E. Vanderford, on August 6, 1950. They moved to Selma, Alabama where one year later, their daughter, Betty was born. The next four years were spent in Germany and Italy, before returning to the U. S. and settling in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where their son, David was born in 1955. The next 22 years, Peggy devoted herself to her husband, her children, and her career at the CPA firm of Deloitte. In 1976, Bob took an international engineering job in Puerto Rico and she retired. From 1976 until 1984, when they retired to Muskogee, Bob and Peggy lived in Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia. They visited 22 countries in their time together, but their greatest joy was their children, Betty Malone (Kelly) Orlando and David (Sue) Vanderford; and their grandchildren, Christian Malone of Gainesville, FL, Zach Malone of Tulsa, OK, Dallas Vanderford (Jennifer) of Tulsa, OK, Drew Malone of Orlando, FL, Chelsey Jones (Billy) of Muskogee; and her three great-grandchildren, Vann Dee Jones, Berkley Sue Jones, and Gemma Laine Vanderford. Peggy is also survived by her sisters, Laura Faye Riggs of Jacksonville, FL, Frances Berry (Wayne) of Saucier, MS, Patti Anderson (Wendell) of Gainesville, FL; her brothers, R. E. Anderson, (Margaret), and K. A. Anderson (Carolyn), all of Ellisville, MS. After Bob’s death in 1993, Peggy busied herself volunteering at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, substitute teaching in Muskogee area schools, and making “cow patties” at Cowboy’s Bar-B-Q Restaurant. The family particularly wishes to thank Sandy Ailshie, Annette Mann, Susan Forrest, and Hillary White for their loving care of Mimi these past several years. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the St. Paul United Methodist Church or the hospice of your choice. A graveside service honoring Peggy’s life will be 3PM, Friday, March 20, 2020 at Greenhill Cemetery Pavilion; interment to follow.

Peggy Ann Vanderford

January 23, 1931 - March 17, 2020