Obituary of Owen F. Peagler

Owen F. Peagler, retired Dean of Continuing Education at Eastern Connecticut State University, passed away on November 13, 2015 after a brief illness. He was born in New Milford, Ct. on November 28, 1931 to Robert James Peagler and Myrtle Elizabeth Gary Peagler, the youngest of ten children, and attended New Milford High School where he excelled in football, basketball and track, setting records for his time in the high jump. He enrolled in Danbury State Teachers College (now Western Ct. State University) in 1950 majoring in elementary education and went on to obtain an M.A. in Counseling and Pupil Personnel Management and a 6th Year Diploma in Guidance and Personnel Administration from New York University. His first teaching position was as a 5th grade teacher at New Milford Main Street School, followed by 7th and 8th grade science and English at John Pettibone School, also in New Milford. From there he moved to Eastview Junior High School in White Plains, New York in 1957 where he taught 7th and 8th grade general science and was Director of Guidance from 1959-66. In 1967 he was appointed Deputy Director of the New York State Office of Economic Opportunity and Director of the New York Metropolitan Area, positions which he held until 1969 when he became Dean of Evening Administration and Dean of Continuing Education at Pace University in New York City. Following his years at Pace he was appointed to the President's Advisory Council on the Education of Disadvantaged Children, of which he became Chairman in 1974. During these years he was active in politics, working with Nelson Rockefeller and Rockefeller's assistant Jackie Robinson, became Assistant Chairman and Special Assistant for Urban Affairs of the New York Republican State Committee and joined the Board of Directors of the Urban League of Westchester County, which he helped to represent at the historic 1963 March on Washington. In 1978 Peagler moved to Willimantic to become the first appointed Dean of Continuing Education at Eastern Connecticut State University. During his twenty-year tenure at Eastern he implemented many new programs, including Winter Intercession, the Weekend University, Credit for Life Experience, and the Bachelor of General Studies degree. He devised and implemented videotaped college credit courses for use on patrolling nuclear submarines, implemented on-site degree programs at Pratt & Whitney Aircraft and the Connecticut National Guard, instituted eight off-campus satellite centers for continuing education, and created the successful workshop series "Day for Women" for women returning to work/education. During this period he was also active, first as a founding board member, then as President and Chairman of the Board, in the 70001 Foundation, later known as WAVE, a non-profit organization to help high school dropouts finish school and find and hold jobs. In 1982 he took a one-year leave of absence from Eastern to accept an appointment by Delaware Governor Pete DuPont as Secretary of Community Affairs for the State of Delaware. Throughout his career Peagler received many honors, including New York State Junior Chamber of Commerce Distinguished Service Award and Young Man of the Year, Urban League of Westchester and White Plains Community Chest Awards for Community Service, International Management Council Educator of the Year Award, Governor's Award for developing a higher education program for the Ct. National Guard, National Association of Continuing Higher Education Leadership and Service Award, Western Ct. State University Alumni Achievement Award, the New Milford High School Hall of Fame, and numerous awards for educational support of disadvantaged children. He was a past president of the Connecticut Association for Continuing Education and co-author of Counseling for Educationally Disadvantaged Pupils (New York State Education Department). During the years following his retirement from Eastern, Peagler worked with Child and Family Agency of Southeastern Ct., Mitchell College in New London, and as Education Advisor for the Mohegan Indian Tribe and travelled and wrote extensively. Dean Peagler was predeceased by his parents and eight of his siblings. He is survived by his wife, Dr. Teresa Rose Balough; a son, Robert Gary Peagler; two daughters, Catherine Ann Peagler and Kirin Elizabeth Peagler (Anthony); a brother, Philip Wesley Peagler; Joyce Hancock Peagler, former spouse and mother of Catherine and Robert; four sisters-in-law, Mrs. Orel Peagler Robinson, Mrs. Sylvia Rose Hottinger (Robert), Mrs. Sara Lynn Boone Cave (Ottis), and Mrs. Cheryl Dunaway Butler; seven nephews, Dr. Richard Peagler (Vashti), Isaiah Whitby, James Whitby (Twyla), Douglas Peagler (Princess), James Hovland; Ottis Lee Cave III (Andy), and Robert Boone Cave; five nieces, Dr. Linda Whitby, Dr. Karen Whitby, Mrs. Sandy Richards (Bill) Ms. Lisa Hovland and Mrs. Christy Cave Karwatt (Steve); a Godson, Galen Donovan; and numerous great nieces and great nephews. Following interment in Center Cemetery, New Milford, Ct. at 10:30 a.m. on December 11, a memorial service will take place at the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme (2 Ferry Road) on December 12 at 1 p.m. Expressions of sympathy may take the form of donations to The United Way.