Margaret Herd

Margaret Jean Herd, best known as Peggy, was born May 18, 1944, in Washington, D.C. to Bill and Edith Sharp.  She was the youngest of two children.  After her parents divorced, she and her brother Tom, would later move to El Paso, TX.  There she grew up and graduated from Ysleta High School in 1962.  Later moving on to college and graduating from TCU with a degree in education in 1966.

On June 4, 1966, she married George P. Herd.  They met on a blind date through her best friend who had married his cousin.  Shortly thereafter, George would be drafted into the army, and Peggy stayed in El Paso with her mom.  After George was discharged, they moved to Georgia and then later on to Long Beach, California where she would be teaching in a Hebrew school, and have the first of three girls, Patricia.  Two years later they moved to Garden Grove, California, welcoming Carrie into the family.  Not long after, the family was transferred to Monahans, TX, where she’d continue teaching kindergarten in an all-day kindergarten school.  Finally in 1976, the family moved to Hobbs, NM, where Kim was born, and Peggy spent the remainder of over 30 years teaching kindergarten in the Hobbs Schools.

“All you really need to know you learned in kindergarten” Peggy excelled at teaching kindergarten, making it exciting and fun.  From a sandbox table in the classroom, incubating chicken eggs, yearly kickball games, celebrating stone soup and green eggs & ham, to a playhouse George had built for her classroom.  With the mere snap of her fingers and that ‘teacher’ look, she got the attention of all her kids.  She was kind, loving, faithful, funny, courageous, positive, and would not pass up a good cup of coffee and the opportunity for a good nap.

In 2009, Peggy learned she had lung cancer and traveled to Chicago to Cancer Treatment Center of America.  Her persistence to heal was successful when in 2014 she won her first battle.  Unfortunately, cancer is an unforgiving disease and returned in 2022.  However, Peggy was not one to give up hope.

Peggy knew God, where she was going, and passed away peacefully early Monday morning, June 26, 2023, in her sleep at home, the place that she loved and where she found the most peace.  Home is where she wanted to begin her journey to heaven where she was met with open arms.

She is survived by her daughters: Patricia Dodson and husband JP of Odessa, TX, & Carrie Spriggs and husband Mark of Wattle Glen, Australia; two grandchildren:  Maggie and Brady Spriggs; along with her very close neighbors, numerous friends, and extended family.

She was preceded in death by her husband, George Herd; daughter, Kim Herd; brother Tom Sharp; and parents Bill and Edith Sharp.

The family would like to extend a special thanks to the Nor-Lea Cancer Center nurses and staff along with Gentiva Hospice.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the American Cancer Society.