Comments on: Peggy Pascoe, 1954-2010

By: Jessica

Jessica — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 06:12:30 +0000

When on the program committee for the AHA-PCB held at SF State in the 1990s, she made sure graduate student scholars were represented on panels. But the memory of her that comes to mind is of her cradling her baby girl in her arms exuding much love.

By: Z

Thu, 18 Nov 2010 01:40:27 +0000

Well I wish I had known her, but I am glad to know about her now.

By: GeschichteGrad

GeschichteGrad — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 16:16:14 +0000

I had the great good fortune of taking the historical methods course from Peggy while working on my MA at UofOregon. It was the third year in a row that she taught the course–two more than she was obliged to. But Peggy cared so deeply for the profession and its future professionals that she kept taking on the responsibility. She was incredibly kind, patient, and always interested in each student as an individual. And forgiving and gracious! I remember during one meeting I kept saying “proscribe” and Peggy was saying “prescribe”–which was correct, of course, but she never corrected me directly, instead just letting her own example lead (I didn’t figure it out until after class, and I was so embarrassed, but so happy that Peggy hadn’t pointed out my stupidity). She gave and gave and gave to students, and not just her own. I remember seeing her in her office on a Friday afternoon one beautiful Oregon summer day. I figured that she was working on her own project. Nope: she was writing comments for a student from another university who had asked for her help. No obligation, and not a particularly “important” project or student. Just Peggy’s generosity. Which is the best word I can think of to describe her: generous. With Peggy’s passing, the profession lost one of its best scholars, teachers, and people.

By: Western Dave

Western Dave — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 04:07:25 +0000

I met Peggy when she gave a job talk at Michigan. She treated me kindly then and in many interactions thereafter at a number of conferences, always remembering my name. She was first class all the way.

By: ga

ga — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 22:50:38 +0000

I met her once as a “graduate representative” to the hiring committees that year including that for the Beekman Chair at the University of Oregon. When she began the next fall as the Beekman Professor I was off to another program for doctoral work so I never got to take a class with her.

I was only an MA student and neither a Western nor a Women’s History major but what I always remembered about my very brief interaction with her was how gracious and kind she was not only to me as the grad rep but to all the students she met.

By: Mary

Mary — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 22:24:50 +0000

I’m very sorry to hear this. I found Dr. Pascoe’s first book to be very inspiring as an undergraduate, and I even quoted part of it in my personal statement. I’m happy a fund has been established to help out other aspiring graduate students.

By: Perpetua

Perpetua — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 21:52:20 +0000

I wish I had a specific story to capture what a warm and gracious woman Peggy was, but I don’t think any of my anecdotes can quite do her justice. I had a brief email exchange with her this summer and she was as lovely as ever (and as punctual in responding) and I didn’t realize until I heard of her death how ill she must have been at the time. She fought hard. My heart is heavy for her partner and children. But I too am so glad that the she received just recognition before her death.