Peggy M. (Green) Alston of McKinney, Texas passed away on June 22, 2017 at the age of 90. Peggy was born in Fort Worth, Texas on February 2, 1927. She graduated from Carter Riverside High in 1943 at the age of 16. She attended Ross College in Texas and Harper College in Illinois studying subjects in relation to her occupation. She married Thomas P. Alston, Jr. on June 28, 1946 in Fort Worth.
Peggy had a beautiful voice and sang in choirs in every church she attended, she took voice training at the Fort Worth Conservatory of Music, sang in a radio show several mornings each week and performed in musical operettas and annual variety shows in Arlington, Texas.
Peggy started work at 17 years old, working for War Assets Administration, the Army Counter Intelligence Corps, Federal Housing Authority and Stanolind Oil Company. At Stanolind Oil, Peggy created a communications manual that was accepted company wide. Peggy moved to Illinois in 1956 where she worked for an Attorney and the Independent School District. Her last employer was Digital Equipment Corporation in Illinois and Texas retiring in 1992 as the Manager DEC Temp program responsible for Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and New Mexico.
Peggy decided to start a YMCA in February, 1968 while living in Hoffman Estates, Illinois. She chaired an organization meeting which was well attended including the mayors from seven villages in the area. She wanted a YMCA to include boys, girls, men and women of all faiths, nationalities and colors, and wanted an indoor swimming pool, gym and day care center. She enlisted her husband to be the Organizing Chair and the Y was underway. Land was purchased the first year, programs were started in the seven villages, and several years later the first building was built for offices and meeting rooms. Later an Olympic sized swimming pool was added, a gym was built and then the day care center. Peggy served on the Board of Directors from 1968 to 1985. An award for exceptional service to the Y was created, she was the first recipient – it was named the “Peggy Award”. Her dream came true through a lot of work by people in the communities and herself.
Peggy and her husband returned to Texas in 1985. After retiring in 1992, she trained as a Stephen Minister and worked in the community caring for others. She continued this activity while in the Bedford area, Denton and in McKinney with the Trinity Presbyterian Church.
Peggy is survived by her loving husband of 70 years, Tom Alston of McKinney; daughter, Claudia Alston and husband, Patrick Ryan of Plano; daughter-in-law, Francine Alston of Frisco; son, Phillip Alston of Bradenton, Florida; granddaughter, Erin Kursevski and husband Hai Hunt of Houston; grandson, Zachary Alston of Frisco; and many other loving family members and friends.
She was preceded in death by her beloved son, Thomas Pearson Alston III; brothers, Claud Jr. and Jack; sister, Betty; parents, Claud and Jewel.
A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 1, 2017 at Trinity Presbyterian Church, 5871 Virginia Parkway, McKinney, Texas.