Peggy (Margaret) Stanton Jenkin June 28, 1940 - December 22, 2025

Peggy (Margaret) Stanton Jenkin
June 28, 1940 – December 22, 2025

On Monday, December 22, 2025, Peggy Jenkin, age 85, of Turlock, California died peacefully with her family at her side. Her life drew to a close just as it had been lived; with grace, thoughtfulness, and an unwavering faith in her Lord.

Peggy was born in Youngstown, Ohio to Eleanore and George Stanton. Soon after her sister Sally arrived, the family moved to Goodyear, Arizona where they grew up. A devoted daughter and, later, daughter-in-law, she remained deeply connected to her family throughout her life, and no matter how many miles separated them, she and Sally stayed in close and loving contact.

In 1955, she met Craig Jenkin, and they began dating while in high school. After graduating from Arizona State University, Peggy went on to earn her teaching credential and marry Craig in 1963, settling in Los Angeles while Craig finished dental school.

They moved to Turlock, California in 1965 and as Craig built his dental practice, Peggy became deeply involved in volunteer work that expanded steadily over the decades. Peggy dedicated herself to her children’s schools and community through roles including PTA president, room mother, catechism teacher, Cub/Boy Scout leader, and performing dental health puppet shows. She also served as president of the Stanislaus Dental Auxiliary and was active in the American Association of University Women.

Both of our parents loved animals and children, and believed their lives were richer because of the friendships they made along the way. Our family dogs were dearly loved and were each beside her on early morning walks along the canal bank, where so many deep and lasting friendships were formed.

Our weekly trips to the library reflected her lifelong love of learning and reading, and she often said, “I never mind waiting because I always have a book.” She cherished being part of her book clubs and stayed closely connected with so many friends through letters, phone calls, visits, and text messages. “The best friendships are built on a thousand shared moments; small threads that, woven together, become a life.”

She encouraged us to explore our interests, try new things, and celebrate small victories. It feels like a missed opportunity that her distinctive scorekeeping system devised while watching baseball games has not become league standard. She created special tallies such as “MH,” or “mother’s hit,” for when someone hit the ball, only for it to be caught and marked an error and “MO” or “mother’s out” when a great play resulted in the runner being called safe. Major League Baseball has yet to adopt her scoring system.

And we’ve yet to hear of another mother’s response to her children’s fascination with fire being, “Okay, bring everything you want to light on fire to the backyard. Now dig a big circle moat and fill it with water. I’ll hold the hose and you can light anything not alive on fire and keep track of how long and fast it burns.” Only later did we realize she’d turned our pyromania into a safe, controlled science experiment.

Peggy was always up for a new adventure and joined Dad in many of his interests including golf, waterskiing, traveling and deep-sea fishing. She golfed with the Women’s 9-hole group. She also enjoyed our summer crabbing and salmon fishing trip to Trinidad, California which gave way to our summer family vacations in Pismo Beach with good food and walks on the beach and exploring caves with grandkids. After dad died, she travelled solo to visit friends and family in Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, Indiana, and Washington and started taking an annual Girls’ Trip to the coast to celebrate her birthday. Her dear friends and neighbors made sure she was always included and she delighted in being a part of all kinds of events, holiday traditions, and new adventures.

After a 24-year maternity leave to raise her family that didn’t include much “staying at home”, Peggy returned to the classroom, first as a substitute and then teaching at several local schools, including most of her career at Crowell Elementary School where she made so many teaching friends and mentored student teachers. We’ve met so many of her former students who delight in recalling Mrs. Jenkin’s kindergarten classroom of discovery, her collection of puppets, and a love of storytelling.

Each of Peggy’s grandchildren has countless individual photo books documenting the memories they shared with her and Dad over the years. She carefully laminated every page before gifting them, ensuring those moments would last forever even with little hands turning the pages over and over again. Beyond preserving memories, she delighted in making new ones that became tradition. She enjoyed playing games and rarely missed a chance to watch her children, grandchildren, and later her great-grandchildren at sporting events, theater productions, dance recitals, and countless other activities. Some of the grandchildren’s favorite memories include Peggy’s homemade ravioli workshop – enjoyed each at Jenkin Christmas dinner, tours of the Hilmar Cheese Factory, swimming, celebrating birthdays, ice skating, walking on the beach, boogie boarding in Hawaii, her homemade playdough recipe, making ice cream together, and the Christmas present scavenger hunt competition, dinner at Guiseppe’s, and so much more.

Anyone who knew our mom knew her unwavering faith and a life that reflected Christ’s teachings through kindness, selflessness, and service. Peggy truly had a servant’s heart. Over the years, she served her church in many roles, including Catechism leader and Communion minister, and she led and supported numerous ministries, such as the Ministry of the Sick, visiting those in hospitals or unable to attend church, as well as prayer shawl and rosary-making ministries. After Dad died, she led and expanded GriefShare, finding deep joy in helping those who were mourning discover comfort and community at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. She also volunteered her time and efforts to the We Care and Turlock Gospel Mission shelters, quietly serving wherever there was a need.

Throughout her life, she found great joy in attending daily Mass, drawing comfort and a sense of community from others who shared in the quiet rhythm of morning worship. In the final weeks of her life, the livestreamed daily Mass became a touchstone of her routine, and we could even tell which priest was presiding by how many minutes we waited until the Mass began. Those same priests later brought her the Holy Eucharist, praying with her and for her during her final days.

Peggy Jenkin was a living example of Ephesians 4:32: “Be kind to one another, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.” She was known by her many friends for her remarkable generosity and warm hospitality, and all were welcome in our family home. Peggy was admired for her kindness, reliability, and quiet strength – always willing to listen and to help wherever she was needed most, she was never judgmental or critical. Her legacy lives on in the countless lives she touched, supported, taught, and inspired throughout her life.

Peggy lived by the guiding meditation “God is God. And I am not. Thy will be done,” especially since her cancer diagnosis. Her radiant smile, paired with a positive attitude and a great sense of humor, left a lasting impression on everyone she met.

For a couple who arrived in Turlock knowing no one, our parents built a community that grew to include thousands who knew and respected them, as well as a deep and enduring circle of friends who are still part of our family. From neighbors in their first apartment in “The Compound”—many of whom bought homes in the same neighborhood—to a chance meeting with another mom at Richland Market who became like a sister to her, they formed friendships that lasted a lifetime. When we reflect on where some of her friendships started, it becomes clear that strangers were simply friends she hadn’t yet met. A friendship with our mom could start just about anywhere you might meet her and would never end.

Our parents opened their home as host families for groups passing through town, including many international performers from Up with People. It brought the world directly to our kitchen table, and we still share stories of the British rugby players and the lively games they shared with us. Peggy found a way to keep in touch whether you moved across the country or another part of the world.

Though the families have changed over the decades on our little section of Mira Flores, the neighborhood has always felt special, and our parents were a big part of that. In these past few years especially, we have felt the depth of that love and support in countless big and small ways.

Peggy leaves behind a family who will treasure their memories of a life well lived and all of its adventures. She is survived by:

Son Keith and his wife Denise (Bakersfield, CA); grandson Kevin (Marlene) and great-grandchildren Dane and Aspen (Bakersfield, CA); and grandson Brian (Oxnard, CA).

Son Barry and his wife Diane (Chowchilla, CA) and grandchildren Spencer (Corey) (Ventura, CA), Riley (Chico, CA) and Connor (Reno, NV).

Daughter Jodi and her husband Robert (Brea, CA) and grandchildren Rachel and Jason (Brea, CA).

Her sister Sally and her husband Ken (Goodyear, AZ) and their children: son John (deceased) and his wife Ingrid (Portland, OR) and daughter Lynn, her husband Don along with their children Conner and Lydia (Colorado Springs, CO)

We are deeply grateful to the entire teams at Stanford Women’s Cancer Center and Emanuel Cancer Center for giving us two additional years of memories with Peggy, and to the team at SEVA Hospice for helping us care for her in her final weeks. Their kindness, compassion, and guidance meant more to our family than words can express.

Funeral Mass at Sacred Heart Church will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, January 16, 2026, with a lunch reception to follow. For those who cannot attend, the funeral will be available on the church YouTube channel: @SacredHeartChurchTurlock.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to GriefShare, 1301 Cooper, Turlock, CA 95380; Westside Ministries, P.O. Box 354, Turlock, CA 95381; Salvation Army of Turlock, 893 Lander Avenue, Turlock, CA 95380; or a charity of your choice in her honor. We ask all who knew her to honor her life with optimism, kindness, and a sense of adventure in your own lives. Truly a life well lived. What a privilege to grieve so deeply because we were loved so well.