Margia Denny Peeples, age 96, died in her sleep Thursday, November 19, 2015, at Still Hopes Episcopal Retirement Community where she had resided for 10 years. A Celebration of Life will be held at Ebenezer Lutheran Church Chapel, 1301 Richland Street, Columbia, at 11 o'clock, Saturday, November 21, 2015 with The Rev. Dr. David H. Brooks and The Rev. David Bauser officiating. Burial will follow in Elmwood Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6 until 8 o'clock, Friday evening at Shives Funeral Home, Trenholm Road Chapel, 7600 Trenholm Road Ext., Columbia, and prior to the service on Saturday beginning at 10 o'clock in the church parlor.

Mrs. Peeples was born April 8, 1919, in Saluda County, SC, to the late Thelma Etheredge Denny and Lucius Alexander Denny. She graduated Columbia High School (1936) and Winthrop College (1940), where she majored in Biology. As a student teacher in science, Margia met her future husband, another science teacher, Johnston Peeples from Estill, SC, at Brookland Cayce High School in West Columbia, SC. After dating for over a year, Johnston enlisted in the Army the week after Pearl Harbor. He was deployed to the Europe Theatre for over 42 months during WWII while Margia continued to teach science in high school and grade school in the Columbia area. Margia and Johnston were married on Nov 24, 1945 within 5 days of his return from Europe, yet shared life for almost 35 years prior to his passing in 1980. In 1985, Mrs. Peeples started an annual Peeples family reunion in her husband's honor that continues today.

Always an active member in the community and her children's schools, Mrs. Peeples was a proud life-time member of Ebenezer Lutheran Church. Caring, positive, and upbeat with a kind word, Mrs. Peeples will be remembered by her family and friends for her lifelong, selfless love: love to her faith, her family, her friends, and her country. She often ended a phone call with "I loved you first."

Surviving are sons, Army CW4 (ret) Stephen Johnston Peeples and his wife, Susan Martin Peeples, of Columbia, SC, and USAF Col (ret) Denny Alexander Peeples and wife, Susi Cook Peeples, of Prescott, AZ; a sister, Mrs. Martha Denny Wilkins of Atlanta, GA. She is also survived by five grandchildren, Army CPT Reed Etheredge Peeples and wife Lynsye Brown Peeples of Colorado Springs, CO, Dr. Molly Susan Peeples of Baltimore, MD, Luke William Peeples, Cassidy Cook Peeples, and Ryan Denny Peeples; many others also affectionately knew her as "Grandmarge". Also surviving are her first daughter-in-law, Army LT COL (ret) Karen Hardy, Karen's husband Tim Wert, and Karen's son Aaron Price. Mrs. Peeples was predeceased by her husband, Army LT COL (ret) Johnston Folk Peeples and an infant daughter, Cecilia.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Ebenezer Lutheran Church: 1301 Richland Street, Columbia, SC 29201.