Peggy Sherlene (Dodson) Moots was born on April 6, 1945, to Elsie Irene (Cauldwell) Dodson and Ross Dodson at Fort Sill, OK, where her father was stationed in the U.S. Army. After moving around the midwest, her family settled in Kirksville, MO, her father’s hometown, when she was in the fourth grade. She attended Benton Elementary School, Ophelia Parrish Junior High, and Kirksville High School where she graduated with the class of 1963. Peggy was a natural athlete, but the only girls’ sport at that time at KHS was cheerleading, and that’s where she excelled for three years. As a teenager, Peggy was employed as a lifeguard at the Kirksville Municipal Pool and was active in Job’s Daughters.

After high school, Peggy enrolled at Northeast Missouri State Teachers College (now Truman State University) as a physical education major while working multiple jobs and serving as a football and basketball cheerleader from 1963-1965. On August 15, 1965, Peggy married Ferrel A. Moots, a first-year student at the Kirksville School of Osteopathy and Surgery (now ATSU). She attended college one more year before leaving to work full-time while her husband was in medical school. Peggy and Ferrel had two daughters, Annie and Carmen, and were married for 21 years.

When her girls were in school, Peggy was a room mother, member of the Parent Teacher Association, Girl Scout leader, softball coach, and Band Boosters president. She was elected to the Kirksville R-III School Board for three terms serving from 1986-95. She was her daughters’ biggest advocate, supporting their interests and welcoming their friends into her home. Peggy put many miles on her old Suburban traveling to Carmen’s various sporting events.

Peggy was the office manager at the Kirksville License Office for 25 years, from 1993-2018, and she really did enjoy working with the public most of her time there.

In her free time, Peggy liked to be outdoors, especially going on adventures with her daughters and grandson, Levi. She provided a home to many pets and helped her daughters mourn them when they passed. She was always full of creative ideas that kept her family entertained. Peggy believed in being kind to everyone, and because of that she was blessed with many friends. She was a wonderful, loving, and caring person who is missed very much, especially by her family.

Early last year Peggy was diagnosed with cancer and died six weeks later on March 5, 2024, with her daughters holding her hands. They survive her along with her sister, Donna Dodson, her brother, Tom (Mei) Dodson, grandson Levi (Brooke) Moore, great-grandson, Beckett Moore, Carmen’s husband, Jeremy Zimmer, step-granddaughters Montana Seibert, Madison Zimmer, and Myla Zimmer, sister-in-law, Carol Dodson, two nephews, Mark Dodson and Aaron Dodson, and one niece, Beth Rask. Peggy is also survived by many long-time friends, especially those in the KHS class of 1963. Hospice of Northeast Missouri provided excellent care that allowed her to pass away in her home of 48 years on North New Street in Kirksville.

Those predeceasing Peggy were her parents, Irene Davis and Ross Dodson, step-father Lester Davis, as well as her grandparents Grace (Fent) and Guy Cauldwell, and Ruby (Holderby) and Thomas E. Dodson, with whom she was especially close and affectionately called “Grandpappy.” Aunts, uncles, and cousins also preceded her in death.

Visitation will be held at 1:00 pm on Saturday, April 5, 2025, at Travis-Noe Funeral Home with the memorial service starting at 2:30 pm. Her ashes will be buried privately at Highland Park Cemetery in Kirksville at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Adair County Humane Society, Hospice of Northeast Missouri, Highland Park Cemetery, or the Adair County Public Library.