Remembering Peggy Storrs
Encircle Families recently lost a legend. Peggy Storrs, part of the original group of four who started the organization, passed away in July. Peggy and three others sat at a kitchen table, brainstorming ways to support parents of children with special needs. From these humble beginnings, Encircle Families grew to what it is today.
Peggy’s son Sean was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at birth. “Mom went to the local library to find out what that meant,” he said. “Not having anywhere else to turn at the time is likely what motivated her to become a founding member of Encircle Families, so other parents wouldn’t go through that same experience. She touched the lives of countless individuals, and that is quite a legacy.” Now an adult, Sean lives independently and works for Arizona State University.
That original group received a grant to expand its role, moving from a kitchen to an office. Peggy was initially hired as the receptionist and became known as the voice of Pilot Parents, the organization’s original name.
“You couldn’t have a better person to welcome individuals to the organization,” said Mary Slaughter, the organization’s first executive director, remembering Peggy’s pleasant voice. “She also never lost sight of our foundation, that we are parents helping parents.”
Peggy’s husband Don served as the first president of the organization’s board of directors. Don passed away in 2020.
Betsy Trombino, whose home hosted those original meetings and the organization’s first office, worked alongside Peggy for 20 years. They started as volunteers in the role, now called parent-to-parent connections, where seasoned parents are matched with newly diagnosed families for support. “The organization evolved, as Peggy and I did,” Trombino added. Her son and Peggy’s son attended high school together, where they both participated in a theater production of “Guys and Dolls.”
Carolyn Rearley also recalls fond memories of Peggy, going back to her initial contact with the organization for a parent-to-parent connection. Rearley’s son Chris had muscular dystrophy, and she hoped to talk to another parent about night splints. She was matched to Peggy, whom she instantly liked on the phone.
“We talked for an hour before we realized we weren’t talking about the same thing!” Rearley said. “We had a good laugh about that.” Rearley later joined the team as an accountant and worked with Peggy for 14 years.
From her initial receptionist position, Peggy moved into operations and technology, playing many roles over time. At the beginning, the organization’s technology was primitive, said former executive director Joyce Millard Hoie. Peggy would arrive early every day, before the office opened, to run daily backups on the server. Always with a sense of humor, Peggy named each piece of technological equipment, including naming the print server “Big Ben.”
Another important part of Peggy’s job was to coordinate the audit. She meticulously prepared, going through the audit checklist, Millard Hoie said. Peggy also photocopied cash donations to keep accurate records.
“Once Peggy solemnly assured me that all the currency from cash donations had been photocopied,” Millard Hoie said. “I asked her to please not show that to the auditors, because making copies of US currency could be considered a federal crime. Later, we’d laugh ourselves silly over that story at audit time!”
Peggy will be greatly missed and appreciated for her contributions to what is today Encircle Families! “Many people referred to Peggy as the ‘Voice of Pilot Parents,’ but she was so much more,” Millard Hoie said. “Peggy radiated personal warmth and a caring presence, providing reassurance and confidence to new parents. I’m forever grateful that so many families began their journey with us through Peggy Storrs.”
