Peggy Shirley Merkison

Peggy Page Shirley Merkison, age 88, passed away January 15, 2026, at Memorial Hospital in Bainbridge, Georgia. Services for Peggy will be held at 2:00 pm, Sunday, January 25, 2026, in the Cadwell Chapel of Cox-Ivey Funeral Home. The Rev. DeWitt Phillips will officiate. The family will receive friends one hour before the service, beginning at 1:00 pm. Peggy will be buried with her family in Oak City Cemetery.

Peggy Page Shirley was born October 2, 1937, in Bainbridge, Georgia to Claud Shirley, Sr. and Minnie Peacock Ash Shirley. Peggy grew up with an attitude to work hard. She worked many years with Southern Bell as a switchboard operator and then stayed home and raised her children. After many years of working at home, she reentered the workforce at Five Points Inland, where she was a cashier. From there, she moved to Memorial Hospital as a switchboard operator, where she remained for over 20 years. She was strong in spirit and handled every obstacle in her life head on. Her family described her as a smart, beautiful (inside and out), caring, talented person who loved the Lord and her family. She had a huge heart for others. In her prime, she had a green thumb and loved working in her yard. Her passions were reading, sewing, cross-stitching, crocheting, art and cooking. She gave the cooking up as she was growing older but, if requested, would make a great banana pudding. Peggy was a member of the First Church of the Nazarene. There must have been a huge celebration when God, Kathy, Mike, Jimbo, Lucille, her parents, siblings and friends were at Heaven’s gates to greet Peggy. Peggy was the best daughter, sister, mother, friend, teacher and listener there was. She will be deeply missed but never forgotten.

Peggy Shirley Merkison is survived by her children, Billy Merkison of Bainbridge, Paul Merkison (Donna) of Cedar Springs, Georgia, Page Merkison of Tallahassee, Florida, and Melissa (Missy) Adams of Bainbridge; grandchildren, Rachel Merkison of Fort Gaines, Paul Ashley Merkison of Fort Gaines, Mary Brown (Derien) of Fort Gaines, Alan Killingsworth (Mandy) of Leesburg, Georgia, Bryce Killingsworth (Bethanie) of Bainbridge, Roxanne Hyde (Jeremy) of Donalsonville, Georgia, Garrett Merkison (Brooke) of Cairo, Georgia, Brooke Valasquez (Jose) of Cairo, Michael Merkison (Skyler) of Colquitt, Georgia, Kristy Wooten (Josh) of Louisianna, and Tyler Stewart (Maddy) of Calhoun, Georgia; great grandchildren, Mya Vickers, Levi Vickers, Precious Thomas, Michael Merkison, Joseph Thomas, Finley Robinson, Piper Killingsworth, Alli Valesquez, Wren Merkison, Mackenzie Brown, Mason Stewart, and Bryleigh Stewart; siblings, Claud Shirley, Jr. of Bainbridge, Sadie Kirkland of Colquitt, Glen “Duck” Shirley (Beth) of Blackshear, Georgia; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, Claud and Minnie Peacock Ash Shirley; children, Jimmy (Jimbo) J. Merkison, Jr. and Kathy Killingsworth; son-in-law, Mike Killingsworth; siblings, Jacqueline Lucile Shirley, Marlene Vickers, Martha Royal, Betty Sue Musgrove, Byrdie S. Dennis, Beck S. Cliett and William C. Shirley, Sr.

Memorial donations may be made in her honor to the American Cancer Society, 233 12th Street, Suite 710, Columbus, Georgia 31901 or the American Diabetes Association, P. O. Box 7023, Merrifield, Virginia 22116-7023.

Online condolences may be sent at www.coxiveyfunera;home.com. Cox-Ivey Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.