Margaret Peggy Garde Wright Cain PhD age 89 passed away on Friday January 02 2015 at Covenant Place in Sumter SC after battling Dementia/Alzheimers for many years. Services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday January 6 at Trinity United Methodist Church 226 W. Liberty Street Sumter with the Rev. Reginald Thackston officiating. Burial will follow at Sumter Cemetery. Visitation will be from 1 to 2 p.m. Tuesday in the church parlor and other times the family will be at 740 Camp Branch Road Sumter. She was a devoted wife loving mother wonderful grand and great grandmother great friend to many and a devout Christian. Ever the teacher researcher and student herself Peggy was a strong leader who was also an avid gardener bird watcher and world traveler. She will be greatly missed by everyone she touched and remembered through all of her lasting contributions to her family church and community. Peggy was born on Friday September 7 1925 in South Bend Indiana. She is preceded in death by her parents Jesse Hubbard Wright and Amy Margaret Chappell and her older sister Elizabeth Jean Wright Lokie. She and her family moved many times due to her fathers employment at Studebaker. They moved to Florida Brussels Detroit and finally Los Angeles California where she attended junior high school and high school. She met her late husband Francis Frank Marion Cain Jr. when her mother invited him and another WWII soldier into their home for Sunday dinner. Their whirlwind romance led to a wartime marriage on October 27th 1944 in Coffeyville Kansas. She attended Occidental College in Los Angeles California before she was married. After marriage she lived at home with her mother while Frank was away fighting in WWII. She worked in the fabric department of one the largest department stores of that time. She and Frank had four children during their 48 years of marriage: Lt. Col. Francis Marion Cain III and wife Parham live in Frederick MD; Col. Richard Scott Cain and wife Cathy live in Newberry SC; Amy Louise Cain lives in Columbia SC; and Robert Maynard Cain and wife Jennifer live in Sumter SC. Her family has been blessed with 6 grandchildren: Francis Marion Cain IV (Heather) Maynard Hunt Cain (Casey) Bradley Scott Cain (Elaine) Brandon Mack Cain (Megan) Ryan David Yandle (Geordie) and Meagan Leigh Cain. She also has two step-granddaughters: Allston Lipscomb New York City NY and Margaret Wells (John) Rock Hill SC. The family includes five great grandchildren: Jenna Hayden Cain Margaret Michelle Cain Francis Marion Cain V Hunt Warren Cain and Emery Ellis Cain with a sixth great grandchild due in May. Family also includes several nephews and a niece. She and Frank returned to South Carolina after the war settling in Franks hometown of Sumter SC. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science from the University of South Carolina in 1949. She started her teaching career in 1963 in Sumter School District #2 at Mayewood High School where she continued to teach science classes until June 1970. For the next 8 years she taught science in Sumter School District #17 at Sumter High School. She also taught Chemistry as a part-time instructor at Morris College for the 1977-78 school year. While teaching high school science and raising four children Peggy received her Masters Degree in Education from Clemson University in 1970. She was selected to serve as the South Carolina State Science Consultant in 1979 where she served the public faithfully for more than 10 years pouring her heart and soul into bettering the states science education programs. During this time she authored two textbooks and co-authored two others on various teaching methods in the area of science. In 1988 while working at the State Department she received her doctorate degree from the University of South Carolina. Peggy was also selected to serve as an adjutant professor of Geology for Clemson University where she continued to coordinate and develop the widely acclaimed multi-disciplined SC Maps and Aerial Photographic Systems (SC MAPS) curriculum for teaching middle school. Other professional accomplishments and responsibilities include: Developing and coordinating the Elementary Science Leadership Program; Trainer for the Program for Effective Teaching; Coordinator for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Teaching; Assisting SC school districts with science programs; Chairing the Textbook Evaluation Committee; Coordinating with the Governor on Science Camp awards; and Organizing the SC Science Supervisors Association. In 1977 while teaching at Sumter High School she was selected as the Cryovac Award for the South Carolina Science Teacher of the Year. She received the Helms Citation of Excellence Award in 1988 for her outstanding service in science education for her untiring efforts in curriculum development activities to update science instructional strategies. In 1998 she was the recipient of the Charles H. Townes Award by the Governors School for Science and Mathematics for her long-standing service to science education in South Carolina. Peggy has always been involved in her church community and local government especially in the areas of education. She has been a member of Trinity United Methodist Church since 1950. She was an active member of the Fa Ho La Sunday School class at times serving as the class President. The members always enjoyed her annual grape picking party. She served as a greeter and on several different church committees throughout her years of membership. While her children were younger she was a member of the Gay Gardeners Club a Cub Scout den mother a band mother National Accredited Flower Show Judge Landscape Design Appraiser for the National Council of State Garden Clubs and President as well as member of the Garden Club Council Sumter. In later years she served the community by joining the League of Women Voters the Forum and Sumter School District #2s Board of Trustees where she was chair for many years. She also obtained her goal of becoming a Master Gardener. On December 6th 2005 by unanimous vote of the Sumter School District #2 Board of Trustees the Pocalla Springs Environmental Science Area was named the Dr. Peggy W. Cain Environmental Science Area in recognition of her support of science education for the students of the district and the entire state. In 1994 she also received a commendation from the SC House of Representatives for her outstanding service and commitment to public education. Throughout her teaching career Peggy participated and served in leadership roles in many professional organizations including: Member of American Association of Physics Teacher Delta Kappa Gamma (where she served as President); Board member of South Carolina Science Council; Presenter at the National Science Association Annual Conference; Adult Director of the South Carolina Junior Academy of Science (for more than 20 years); Council Member of South Carolina Academy of Science; Member of Association for Supervisors of Curriculum Development; and Member of Phi Delta Kappa. Memorials may be made in memory of Peggy to Trinity United Methodist Church 226 W. Liberty St. Sumter SC 29150 or Delta Kappa Gamma-Alpha Kappa Chapter Educational Scholarship c/o Margaret Hutchins 2315 Primrose Ct. Sumter SC 29150. Elmore Cannon Stephens Funeral Home and Crematorium of Sumter is in charge of arrangements. www.ecsfuneralhome.com