Margaret Peg Dr. Gilbert

Dr. Margaret Lois Gilbert, called “Peg” or “Peggy” by her family and close friends, “Margaret” by many of her professional associates, and “Dr. G.” by her students, was born at South County Hospital in Wakefield, R.I., on June 9, 1928. She is the eldest of four children of Dr. Basil E. Gilbert and E. Lois Gilbert. Her father was Vice-Director of the Agricultural Experiment Station at U.R.I for many years (deceased in 1945) and her mother was a teacher at Peace Dale and Hazard elementary schools (deceased in 1988) Peggy’s favorite hobbies were reading and outside activities such as hiking and camping. She and her father helped clear trails in Potter Woods, off South Road in Kingston, and she spent several summers working as a Girl Scout counselor at Camp Hoffman, in West Kingston. She was Valedictorian of her graduating class at South Kingstown High School, in 1945. During her four years at the University of Rhode Island, she was a lab assistant and worked part-time in the college library. She also participated in the Glee Club and the orchestra (playing violin), and graduated in 1949, Magna Cum Laude, with a B.S. in Botany. For outstanding academic achievement, she was given a Bausch and Lomb microscope. Then, on to the University of Wisconsin (Madison) for three years, where she graduated at age 24 with a Ph.D. in Plant Ecology. One summer during these busy years she and classmate went to Yosemite National Park and trained to become Ranger Naturalists. Her first academic position after receiving the Ph.D. was as a Visiting Assistant Professor at Northwestern Louisiana State University, in Natchitoches (1953-54). In the fall of 1954, Peggy moved to Lakeland, Florida, to begin what would turn out to be her long-term academic career at Florida Southern College, a small private Methodist Liberal Arts college known not only for academic excellence but also for its Frank Lloyd Wright architecture. She spent 45 years at FSC, where she became the Coordinator of the Biology Department and then, in addition to this position, Chairman of the Division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics (in 1981). Her professional achievements include: …Membership in the Botanical Society of America, the American Institute of Biological Sciences, the Ecology Society of America and the America Association for the Advancement of Science. …Served for a six year term on a Danforth Foundation committee to select candidates for four-year fellowship for doctoral studies. …Coordinated a team of professors and students who researched Florida’s plant and animal life in a mid-state area from Ocala National Forest to Lake Okeechobee. This study was a two-year project (1962-64) funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation. …Traveled around the world to participate in many conferences, such as the 10th International Botanical Congress in Edinburgh (1964)/ Peggy was the recipient of several prestigious awards, including: …“ Outstanding Educator of America, in recognition of contributions to the advancement of higher education and service to the community” (Washington, D.C., 1975). …“Meritorious Teaching Award,” given by the Association of Southeastern Biologists (1977). …“Distinguished Teaching Professor,” Florida Southern College (1981). She also served as president of the Lakeland chapter of AAUW and State Education Chairman for that organization. Beyond all the professional achievements and awards (only touched upon briefly in this bio), Peggy was a mentor to her students, encouraging them to be the best that they could be and helping many to go on to graduate school. Her students were her children and she loved them all. She took them on annual field trips during the May Option “semester”…to the Smoky Mountains, the Grand Canyon, the Everglades, the Florida Keys…even white-water rafting in Colorado and to England, where the college shared a manor house (called the “castle”) with another U.S. college for the month of May. When she retired, Peggy was given the title of Professor Emeritus and the gift of a five-week trip to Australia and New Zealand, where she visited all the botanical gardens those countries offered. For this trip, monetary donations from former students and faculty members were accompanied by letters attesting to their affection for her and their admiration for her 45-year dedication to the college and the community. One student wrote: “As an advisor, she was everyone’s ideal mother…Most important of all, she cared. And “ As an instructor…she challenged her students to perform to the very best of their abilities. In 2003, Peggy moved to South Bay Manor in Peace Dale, R.I., to be close to family. After a stay at Brightview Commons, she moved to Scallop Shell in December of 2008, where she was in the care of a dedicated nursing staff of R.N.s and CNAs, who are greatly appreciated by her family for all they did to make her days safe and pleasant Peggy passed away on Friday at the age of 82 at the Scallop Shell Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Peace Dale. She was the sister of Helen Marie Cutler of Gainsville, FL, Robert I.C. Gilbert of Cumberland and Donna G. Sciola of Narragsnsett. She was he aunt of one niece and seven nephews. Visitation will be held Monday 1-2 PM followed by a prayer service at 2:00 PM in the Avery-Storti Funeral Home, 88 Columbia St., Wakefield. Burial will be in New Fernwood, Kingston. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Alzheimer’s Association 245 Waterman St., Suite 306 Providence, RI 02906 or Scallop Shell Activities Fund, 981 Kingstown Rd., Wakefield, RI 02879.