Peggy Davis Gold, 63, of Durham, N.C., died on November 1, 2023, at Duke Regional Hospital. She was born Nov. 24, 1959, and was the daughter of the late Barbara Geer Davis and Dr. Richard T. Davis.
She is survived by her son, Austin and his wife Tara of Durham; her brother, Richard T. Davis Jr. of Danville, Va.; her sister, Nancy Davis and husband Tip Nicholson of Statesville; nephew Richard T. Davis III (Rachelle) of Largo, Fla.; and nieces Brittain Kenney (Will) of Charlotte, Stacy Knabb (Drew) of Fox Point, Wis., and Peggy Nicholson (Justin Tosco) of Durham; and her great nieces and nephews who loved their “Aunt Lady.”
For more than 20 years, Peggy served as a chaplain at Duke Hospital. She was a certified educator for the hospital’s Clinical Pastoral Education program. A graduate of Agnes Scott College in Atlanta, Peggy received her master’s degree in divinity from Duke University. She completed her residency in pastoral care at Duke and is certified as an ACPE certified educator by the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education. She previously served as a chaplain with Partners in Caring, an HIV/AIDS ministry.
Perhaps Peggy’s greatest gift was how she made everyone around her feel truly seen and heard, knowing exactly whether you needed wisdom, wit, or just an understanding smile. In addition to bringing great conversation, laughter and love to any occasion, Peggy excelled in party planning and gift giving. Her gifts were also shared in the way she eased the nerves of countless couples as their wedding officiant and comforted grieving families with words and compassion in times of loss.
Extremely proud of her son, Peggy delighted in the company of Austin and Tara and the home they created for foster children. While she loved her grandmother name, “Mamie,” she especially loved “being” a Mamie, a role which she embraced devotedly.
The memorial service for Peggy will be held Friday, November 17, at 3 p.m. in the outdoor sanctuary at Bluestem Conservation Cemetery, 1900 Hurdle Mills Road, Cedar Grove, N.C. Because this is a natural area, guests are encouraged to dress comfortably. A private burial will be held earlier. Friends and family are also invited to a time of “story-sharing” on Thursday, November 16, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the home of Austin and Tara, 3 Brown Bark Court, Durham.
To honor Peggy, donations may be made to the 501(c)3 Bluestem Community.
A life well lived. We are all better for having met her.
Love to the family from Agnes Whichard Moore, formerly of Winterville, N.C.
Hi Agnes, Rick here. Terrible sad day today. My baby sister is no longer with us, but her memory and life well lived will stay with us always. Thanks for your reply. Nancy and I were sharing pics today of our life in Winterville. One picture of us three had Nancy in a well-made dress and Peggy too. Your mom was our seamstress, and the love I felt from her is carried on today. She was the best and a good friend to so many people. Thanks for proclaiming your sorrow for Peggy’s passing.
2019-2020- I was a chaplain resident at Duke University Hospital. Peggy was my first educator.
I am so very sad to have learned about Peggy’s death. She changed my world and the World one student at a time. Her grace, humor, and wisdom will live with me forever.
What an incredible and gifted human. Peggy’s light was bright. Her laughter was infectious. Her humor was brilliant. Her kindness was palpable. And her wisdom came from deep wells.
So honored to have learned from Peggy during my chaplaincy internship at Duke. She was an absolute treasure. She reached so many people and blessed so many lives. Good as Gold.
Peggy was an exceptional person who showed love to everyone she made contact with. I am so saddened by her death. She was one of my closest friends.
Peggy was an incredible blessing to all of us in the chaplain services department at Duke. I saw how much of a blessing she was to her students, and how much of an influence she had even on those of us who were working with other educators. Hail, Queen Peggy!
I was a chaplain resident 2010-2011 and Peggy was my supervisor in the last unit. She was super kind and understood my heart and my discernment process as I was searching God’s call going forward. One of the lines she wrote in my final evaluation unit will be treasured forever: “May God continue to bless you on your journey and may you always experience yourself at home there.” These words still bring me to tears. I thank God for Peggy’s kindness and fellowship.
I have many fond memories of Peggy and the friendship we shared in high school. She was easy going and so warm, you wanted to be her friend. We sang, we laughed and we enjoyed life together. God is welcoming a beautiful soul! ❤️🙏❤️
I’m heartbroken to learn of Peggy’s passing. You never expect your role models to die young. Peggy made a lasting impact on me as my CPE supervisor the summer of 2017. She just saw straight into your soul and made you feel at home. It’s extremely rare, even among chaplains. Her presence was profound. Years after that CPE internship at Duke, Peggy and I would meet in her office. We’d talk about life — everything from my romantic relationships to theology. A couple years back, I reached out to her after enduring the most traumatic experience of my life. Her emails to me during that time were my last interactions with her and I’ll treasure her words for the rest of my life. I love you Peggy. Thanks for truly seeing me.
Peggy was one of my CPE Supervisors both in 2007 and 2009. No amount of words could ever explain the full impact of her leadership during those times, but it was “priceless.” My fellow chaplains and I would always tease one another by saying, “I am her favorite.” She was our cheerleader, and even today, I feel her cheering all of us to push on towards the mark of the high call. Thank you, dearest Peggy, for our loss here on earth, but Heaven’s gain for sure.
It’s been several days now, 11 to be precise, since I have learned of Peggy’s passing. I am still struggling to take it in. I feel heartbroken and as if the air was suddenly sucked out of my lungs. The last time we spoke, we talked about her road trip to see me in Pennsylvania and the things we wanted to write together in the near future. The last time we were to see each other was on the day of my departure from North Carolina. I am humbled to read the words of the people who wrote here before me. It seems that my story is not at all unique: that Peggy has been an incredible “mother” to so many in our field, being able to see and bear witness and nurture the very soul of her students becoming—as persons, as chaplains, as CPE supervisors. In her quiet, funny, unassuming way she has helped me find a way (and courage!) to speak my truth in supervisory relationships and on the pages of my theory papers. Peggy, thank you for teaching me what real Love and Care and Joy feel like…I love you back. And I promise to you that I will do my absolute damnedest to live your legacy of love and laughter in my own work and life!
I miss Peggy … as a colleague, chaplain at central times of great loss in my life, and friend. I still can’t believe I won’t ever again hear her wisdom, her wit and wicked funny humor, that we won’t again go to a movie, won’t explore the Marvel Universe together, meet for brunch, that I won’t ever again receive her variety of Brigid images on Feb. 1, and the host of other ways of play and reflection we shared. Peggy, I’m so grateful for your life and that you shared a bit of it with me.
It is hard to believe Peggy is transitioned! I will always hold Peggy in my heart. I’ll never forget the ways her playfulness, compassion, and sternness guided our Unit 1 CPE Interns into feeling/naming our emotions.