Margaret "Peggi" Graves

Margaret (Peggi) Graves, the sixth of seven children was born in Pittsburgh, PA to the late Shelton and Katherine Jordan.  Her four brothers, Thomas, Lester, Glenn, James and two sisters preceded her in death.  Peggi was educated in the public schools of Pittsburgh, namely Lincoln Elementary and Westinghouse High School from which she received a high school diploma. Peggi earned a baccalaureate degree from Antioch College in Yellow Springs, Ohio and a graduate degree in Healthcare Administration from George Washington University in 1979.  She later received Certification as an Administrative Resident from the Johns Hopkins University in 1979, following a year of service required by George Washington University to complete the requisites of the graduate program.  Johns Hopkins Hospital hired her in a specialized health planning position immediately following her completion of all academic requirements.

In 1984, she resigned from her employment with Johns Hopkins to take a position with the District of Columbia government as Chief of Project Review, where she reviewed capital funding projects for District hospitals seeking health planning approval to initiate expansions and capital funding.

Prior to joining the staff at Johns Hopkins, Peggi served as Associate Director of Special Programs at Coppin State College from 1973 to 1979.  While serving in that position, she developed an extension program for inmates in the Maryland Correctional facility located in Baltimore.

Peggi loved and served God her entire life. She joined Mount Zion Baptist Church in her hometown as a young adult. Upon relocating to Baltimore, MD following her marriage to Bennie Graves, she joined Heritage United Church of Christ in 1966 where she continued her service to the Lord as President of the Women’s Guild, hosting fund raising activities to enhance the church’s revenue and assisting in the development of programs to encourage young people to join the church. She remained a member of Heritage, after relocating to Washington, DC in 1984, driving every Sunday to worship with her flock.  In 2003, Peggi joined Peoples Congregational United Church of Christ, where she served as an usher, member of the Food Pantry volunteers and Music Aid Circle.

Peggi had many passions but none above her love of God, the love for her son Kevin to whom she was fiercely devoted and her love for opera.  As a season ticket holder for the Kennedy Center Opera, she was well known and endeared by the Kennedy Center opera regulars.

We will always remember Peggi for her passion for educating young people, her elegant sense of style, her sophistication, her wit, profound sense of organization and her unyielding devotion to her friends.

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