Peggy (Shaw) Langford

Peggy Shaw Langford

Peggy Langford passed away in her home the afternoon of February 20th. She was 99 years old and most likely disappointed she didn’t make it to 100. She moved to Westfield in 1954 and lived for nearly 60 years in her Boulevard home.

Born in 1920 in Kansas City, Missouri, Peggy was the only child of Nellie Baird and George Bailey Shaw. She grew up there, graduating from Central High School and attending Kansas City Junior College. Peggy met her husband, Dick Langford, on a blind date on Halloween in 1948, and they married seven months later on June 4, 1949. They had been married for 53 years when Dick died in 2002.

Peggy’s first job was as a Fred Harvey Girl at Kansas City Union Station. She later joined Braniff Airlines, where she rose to head reservationist at their Kansas City headquarters. After moving to New Jersey, she worked at First Federal Savings, Macy’s Credit and as Vice President of Eastern States Adjustment Co., a commercial collection agency founded with her husband.

Peggy was an avid bridge player, gardener and golfer. She was a member of the Roselle Golf Club for over 60 years and continued to play into her nineties. She learned to swim in the ocean on Long Beach Island and spent many weekends and vacations there with her family. She was an incredible pie baker, and also made a mean lasagna. An ardent sports fan (with somewhat mixed allegiances), she followed her beloved New York Yankees, Giants, Jets, Rangers and New Jersey’s own Devils. We are glad that her final Superbowl featured a win by the Kansas City Chiefs.

She is survived by sons Brian of Jefferson City, MO; Sandy and Mike of Westfield; and daughters, Abby of Westfield, and Kathy and son-in-law Doug Shaw of Carversville, PA. She is beloved and already greatly missed by her grandchildren: Max Langford of Edmond, OK; Zac Shaw of Los Angeles, CA; Alexandra and Hannah Shaw of Brooklyn, NY; Kathy Deeken and Cindy McGrail of Jefferson City, Mo.; as well as five great-grandchildren.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Higgins and Bonner Echo Lake Funeral Home in Westfield on Tuesday February 25th from 4 to 8pm, with a service beginning at 7pm. There will be a private internment at Fairview Cemetery in Westfield. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her honor to St. Labre Indian School, Ashland, Montana.

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