Margaret Price Schwacke

On November 19, 2015, the world's most infectious laugh was silenced as Margaret P. Schwacke, wife of the late Edward A. Schwacke, ended her life's journey of spreading smiles and happiness. The relatives and friends of Mrs. Margaret Price Schwacke are invited to attend her Mass of Christian Burial at 2:00 PM Tuesday, November 24, 2015, at The Church of the Nativity, 1061 Folly Road. The Rite of Committal will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM, with a Vigil Service at 6:45 PM Monday evening at the James A. McAlister Funeral Home, 1620 Savannah Hwy."Peggy Price," or "Miss Peggy" as she was affectionately known, was born in Charleston, S.C. on November 2, 1929, to the late Dr. F. Raymond Price, Sr. and Leona Davis Price. Peggy was the playful older sister to her brother, the late Dr. F. Raymond Price, Jr., and to Mary P. Bollinger of Williamsburg, Va. who survives her. Peggy attended Bennett Elementary School and Rivers Junior High. She graduated with the Class of 1946 from Memminger High, an alumni relationship with which she remained very close. After attending Barry College in Miami for a year, she returned home and obtained her Bachelor of Arts from the College of Charleston. It was there that she met the bachelor of her heart, her husband Ed, whom she would marry in 1952. Ed and Peggy raised 3 sons and 3 daughters in their James Island home. While Ed worked in Civil Service, Miss Peggy was proving she was the one who put the "engine" into "domestic engineer." There was no place her "domestic cab service" couldn't take you: whether it was swim team practices or meets, piano lessons, band practices or concerts, or making certain her Altar Servers made it to Church on time. There were practices and games of football, basketball, baseball and track. She also served in leadership capacities with the Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Brownies and Girl Scouts. Nothing excited Miss Peggy more than her three year fundraising effort to lead her Girl Scouts on a cross-country bus trip to Girl Scout National Center West in Wyoming where she saddled up for her first ever horse ride. She would tell you laughingly that after all of the effort put into the trip, the horse never budged. As her children flew the nest, Miss Peggy - not content to be a homebody - took on new roles. She loved her Church of the Nativity and performed Sacristy duties, was active in the Nativity Ladies Guild, and served as a Eucharistic Minister bringing Communion to hospitalized parishioners. Additionally, before retiring from driving, she delivered Meals on Wheels on James Island. Beyond these, what Peggy found most self-fulfilling was her first out-of-home employment at the St. Francis Hospital Gift Shop where she proved daily that laughter really is the best medicine. Peggy is survived by her six children and their better halves: Edward A. Schwacke Jr. of Charleston and his wife Christine, C. Robert Schwacke of Morganton, NC. and his wife Jill, David P. Schwacke of Charleston and his spouse Mycah Wells, Margaret S. Sellers of Mount Pleasant and her husband Carl, Sally S. Goins of Herndon, VA and her husband Raymond and Mary S. Grant of Charleston and her husband Brian. She cherished the opportunity to share her memories and life lessons with - and to sometimes spoil - eleven grandchildren and three great grands who will miss her greatly: Chip Sellers, Sara Schwacke, Parker Wishik, Charles Schwacke, Ryan Sellers, Kelsey Wishik, Katie Goins, Ray Goins, Eric Goins, Andrew Grant, Will Grant, Charlie Schwacke, Riley Schwacke and Emilily Schwacke. Ms. Peggy used to tell of a little girl who once came up to her at the gift shop and said "can I ask you a question?" Miss Peggy said certainly and the girl asked "why are you always laughing?" Miss Peggy will be missed, and her laugh silenced, but she will be impossible to forget. Our laugh may not be as memorable as hers, but we are eternally grateful she taught us how to live, to love and to laugh. Miss Peggy loved flowers, but in lieu of them, her family asks that memorials be made to the Nativity Church Building Fund, 1061 Folly Rd, Charleston, SC 29412.