Peggy Ann Ireland Long

Peggy Ann Ireland Long, age 80, of Yadkinville, passed away on Thursday, March 20th, 2025 at SECU Hospice Care Center in Yadkinville.

Peggy was born in the Branon community to her parents, Jim and Hattie Wooten Ireland. She was the youngest of three: John Lee Ireland and Sylvia “Sylvie” Porter.

As a kid, Peggy loved walking down to “Aunt Oc’s store” to play with her cousins and drink cold Cokes. At West Yadkin High School, she was a cheerleader, letter girl and drove a school bus. At 17, she eloped with a boy she met at church driving a 1958 Chevrolet. He wooed her with his green corduroy suit. She and Duane Long married on August 5, 1961.

As a young mom, Peggy worked at Hanes Hosiery and sold AVON to her coworkers. Eventually, she was recruited to be an AVON District Sales Manager over Yadkin, Surry, Forsyth, Stokes, Davie, Iredell, and Alexander Counties. And she never met a stranger. Not once.

She retired from AVON after 41 years. She loved to travel and took trips all over the world for work and pleasure such as Mexico, Japan, Spain, Switzerland, France, China, Africa, Israel, Austria and Germany. Her favorite destination was Myrtle Beach.

Peggy was a life-long member of Branon Friends Meeting, where she served as an Elder, Sunday school teacher, Nominating Committee member, VBS Director, Choir Director, and Youth Leader. Too many pictures and memories exist of the 25+ trips to Jamaica, New York City, MOWA Choctaw Missions, NCYM Serenity and Quaker Lake.

Peggy had a knack for crosswords, word searches, telling stories, baking pound cakes and turning any word or thought into a song. She loved pulling weeds, going to chicken stews, salty over sweet, saving everything and sleeping in. She was a social butterfly, a steady friend and never took “no” for an answer.

Those left to celebrate her life include her husband of 62 years, Duane Long; children, Michael (Stephanie) Long, Becky (Monte) Sherrill and Patrick (Brooke) Long; grandchildren Chris (Jessica) Bowles, Zach (Lanier) Long, Sarah Long, Jackson Long, Bailey Sherrill, Vada Sherrill, Darby Sherrill, Kennedy Long, Camryn Long; great-grandchildren, Ayda Bowles, Lainey Bowles, Cristiano Valle, Nancy Valle, and Waylon Long.

The family will receive friends on Sunday, March 23rd from 5 - 7pm at Gentry Family Funeral Service in Yadkinville. The family will announce a Celebration of Life to be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Mountain Valley Hospice or Yadkin Christian Ministries.