Peggy Ingraham Obituary – April 17, 1937 – Feb. 7, 2021

Peggy Gouge Ingraham passed away peacefully on Feb. 7, 2021 at Baptist Reynolds Hospice House in Collierville. She will be honored at a small graveside service at 11 a.m. Friday at the Henderson City Cemetery with Sam Wylie officiating. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Alzheimer’s association – Alz.org or to Baptist Reynolds Hospice House, 1520 W Poplar Ave, Collierville, TN 38017.
She was born April 17, 1937 in Unicoi to Bertha Melinda Jones Gouge and W. W. (Waitsel Winfield) Gouge. She grew up surrounded by lots of extended family about which many hilarious tales have been told.
She graduated Salutatorian from Unicoi High School in 1955 and moved to Memphis to attend Dental Hygiene school at the University of Tennessee. It was here that she met and married her beloved husband of 56 years, Dr. Robert Quinn Ingraham.
They made their home together in Jackson, where she was admitted to and graduated with honors from Lambuth University with a BS degree in microbiology. She worked as a microbiologist with the Madison County Health Department until she had her children.
She was a brilliant and conscientious microbiologist, but she excelled as a mom and wife. She had lots of hobbies, including playing the piano, singing, reading mystery books, needlework, cooking, and doing crossword puzzles. She wrote news-filled letters every day to her kids while they were in college and medical school so that their mailboxes would never be empty. After her kids left for college, she returned to work in the State laboratory for another 15 years before she retired.
She attended Skyline Drive Church of Christ in Jackson and had so many sweet, lifelong friends from there. She was a beautiful, private, and humble lady.
 She is survived by two children, Dr. Carol Ingraham Lynn of Collierville and Dr. Robert Quinn (Tracie) Ingraham, Jr. of Oxford, Miss.; four grandchildren, Brooks Harrison Lynn and Leslie Caroline Lynn of Collierville and Robert Quinn Ingraham, III and Caroline Ellen Ingraham of Oxford, Miss; and devoted sister in law, Jane Ryals of Jonesboro, Ark.
She is preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, Ben (Janice) Gouge and Blake (Barbara) Gouge; and her husband, Bob Ingraham.