Peggy Walker

Peggy Hart Powell Walker 96, of Leland North Carolina, passed away peacefully on January 29, 2026.

Peggy was born on August 28, 1929 to Norva and Hubert Hart in Ayden, North Carolina. She often talked about growing up on a farm in Eastern North Carolina, working hard on the family farm and about how her father never let her or her brothers and sister miss school to get the work done.

After graduating from Ayden School, Peggy attended East Carolina Teacher's College and earned a teaching degree. Peggy met her first husband, Willie Bruce (Pete) Powell. They married in December 1951 and lived in Dover, North Carolina and spent 22 years together until his passing in 1973. Peggy began her teaching career at Dover High School shortly after marrying. Later she earned a master's degree in science education. When Dover High School closed, Peggy began teaching at West Craven High School.

In 1976, she married Ralph Lewis Walker of Goldsboro. After they married, they moved to Kinston, North Carolina and enjoyed many trips to Swansboro where they fished and enjoyed the water. Peggy and Ralph moved to Leland in 1980. While Ralph was working for Shenandoah Life Insurance Company, Peggy taught science at Noble Middle School in Wilmington until retiring in 1988. After retiring from teaching, Peggy bought and managed a florist which complemented her love of arts and crafts. Peggy and Ralph shared almost 30 years of marriage before his passing in 2006.

Beyond her roles as a devoted mother, wife, grandmother, great grandmother, and aunt, Peggy was known for her crafts such as making angels, dolls, afghans, yo-yo quilts, and in her later years, adult coloring. She was also known for making her legendary carrot cakes for church, community, and family. She was a strong woman of immense resilience who found joy in her hobbies and family.

She is survived by her daughter, Melinda Wehbie/David, her step-son, Steve Walker/Betsy and grandchildren, Michael Barbre/Jen, Megan Lawson/Wade, Elliott Barbre, Amanda Ellis/ Will, James Wehbie/Shalyn, and Zack Walker/Cannon, her great grandchildren, Morgan and Tucker Wehbie, Liam and Wright Ellis, and Cayden Walker. She was preceded in death by her parents, Hubert and Norva Hart, her son, Chris Powell, her daughter, Donna Barbre, and her husbands, Willie Bruce Powell and Ralph Walker.

Memorials may be made to Hubert and Norva Hart Scholarship Fund for Welch College for ministers and missionary studies, Welch College, 1045 Bison Trail, Gallatin, TN 37066 Or Meals on Wheels of Wake County, 1001 Blair Drive, Suite 100, Raleigh, NC 27603-2030.