Frances Duryea Day

Peggy Day died Wednesday January 9 at her home in St. Petersburg. She was born Frances Marguerite Duryea November 29, 1918, just 18 days after the Armistice ending World War I, at City Hospital in St. Petersburg - later named Mound Park Hospital, and now Bayfront Medical center. Her parents, Frank B. and Agnes M. Duryea, came to St. Petersburg in 1912. Frank was circulation manager of the Evening Independent newspaper and later founded the St. Petersburg Credit Bureau. Peggy attended St. Petersburg public schools from kindergarten through her graduation from St. Petersburg High School in 1936. She attended the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, where she joined the Delta Delta Delta Sorority and was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa National Honor Society before graduating in 1940. In 1937 she was part of the first group of debutantes presented in St. Petersburg. In 1943 she married Lt. Earle W. Day and went with him on his Navy assignments until his discharge in 1945. Their first child, Donna Carol Dede, was born at a naval base in Nevada. Three months later, the family returned to St. Petersburg, where two more children were born, John Wilkins Jack and Rebecca Jane Becky. With her husband Earle, Peggy was among the founding members of St. Thomas Episcopal Church. She supported her children's school activities as they went through public schools in St. Petersburg, and volunteered in many civic causes, including the Red Cross, the St. Petersburg Chamber of Commerce, All Children's Hospital and St. Anthony's Hospital. After Earle's death in October of 1980, Peggy took many trips to Europe, Asia, and Africa, frequently taking along one or more of her grandchildren. She is survived by her children Dede Murtagh, Jack Day and Becky Wilson, her grandchildren Ryan Murtagh, Michelle Jennings, Kevin Murtagh, Carrie Forrester, Katie Wilson and Michael Day, and three great-grandchildren, Owen Murtagh, Cannon Murtagh and Everett Jennings. She is remembered with love by Brad Lazzara, nancy Day, Jon Wilson, Paige Murtagh, Ryan Jennings, Leslie Murtagh, Andrew Forrester and Jason Merritt and her foster sons, Ozzie and Willie Sabina. A memorial service will be held at St. Thomas Episcopal Church on Saturday, January 12th at 2 p.m. with a gathering of friends and family following. Donations may be made in her name to St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 1200 Snell Isle Blvd. N.E., St. Petersburg, Florida 33704.