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A record of love, inspiration, and perseveranceBy Barry Merrill NL Publisher 18 July 2007 — Like most daughters, Sandra Gurley Broome drew much from her mother, Peggy Jean Casey Gurley, while growing up on Grabtown Road and Brogden Road in the Brogden community. Over the years and as she grew in the world, Sandra grew to marvel on how well her mother maintained a positive attitude, despite many challenges.
Sandra’s younger sister, Denise Gurley Littleton, was stricken with cancer and was assisted in her home by hospice before cancer claimed her seven years ago. During and after her sister’s experience, Sandra developed an appreciation for the many wonderful and precious lives and stories, like her mother’s, that were stored in those who are cared for by hospice. Sandra was also a budding writer. She had always enjoyed journaling, and at age 40, with some of her optimism from her mother, had decided to go back and get her college degree. She went to Wake Technical Community College and NC State for a total of ten years, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in English with a concentration in writing. A few years ago, Sandra began asking her mother questions that seemed unusually personal to her mother, as Sandra began putting together notes for what she hoped would be a book. She wasn’t sure how her mother would accept her daughter writing about her life, but eventually Sandra confessed her intentions, and her mother welcomed the book. Her mother had to struggle with raising Sandra’s sisters after her husband, Kenneth Gurley, passed away in 1971. Renee was 11 and Denise was 16. Sandra had already left home and begun work with the prison system as a secretary, but she remained close to her mother through the years. “I have seen her get through so much loss,” Sandra says. “In addition to losing her husband and daughter, she lost all her siblings and her father and mother. She battles chronic pain every day and has several health issues, but she always possessed a zest for life. She is very upbeat.” Her mother, Peggy, grew up in the Clayton area, off Little Creech Church Rd., in an area known as Casey Hill. One of her brothers growing up on that tobacco farm was the late Willis Casey, who many years ago opened and maintained an appliance repair business in Princeton, moving to the area. Many of the Caseys in the Princeton area are cousins of Peggy and Willis. While Peggy shared in some of the hard work of growing up on a tobacco farm, her daddy had Peggy help her mother with the cooking, canning and preserving, cleaning and washing. Her father passed away when he was 46, and because of her mother’s health problems, Peggy and the other children took on even more responsibility. The experience left a lasting impression. “I’ve always been a mature person.” Peggy says. “I was the last born, but not the baby. Still, seeing what that did to us, I could not do that to my children.” Her husband, Kenneth Gurley, was also a farmer, growing tobacco, corn and soybeans, and also worked as a tobacconist with K. R. Edwards Tobacco Company. When he passed away, also at age 46, Peggy says he didn’t leave her with any bills, but he didn’t leave her with any money, either. With faith and optimism, they got through. Another particularly difficult time was when Sandra’s sister was struggling with cancer. Through all the struggles, Peggy’s optimism rings through. “I never doubted I could do it.” She grew up in a Primitive Baptist Church, but she credits Rev. Leonard Woodall with really getting through to her. She was baptized at First Free Will Baptist Church in Smithfield. Today she worships at Hopewell Free Will Baptist on NC 210, where a cousin, Scott Casey, is the pastor. When Sandra was nearing time to put the book together for publication, she Googled self-publishers, and interviewed several firms. She settled on iUniverse, which she says is targeted to mostly local people and family. “They have been a dream to work with,” Sandra says, though she admits she was very anxious to see the finished product. The books arrived two weeks ago.
The book, entitled “Through My Mother’s Words, The Memoirs of Peggy Jean Casey Gurley,” is available at The Heritage Center in the old First Citizens Bank building in downtown Smithfield, online at Barnesandnoble.com and Amazon.com, or by contacting Sandra directly by calling her at 553-3022. Hardcover editions are $23.95 and softcovers are $12.95. Sandra wants to capture more of the stories of those in hospice in her next book, but that will probably have to wait on her retirement from her job as manager of the Professional Education Program at NC State College of Textiles. As to this book, Sandra hopes her mother’s story will speak to many. “I know other people have gone through the same trials, and I want to give them hope. Her story of strength, commitment, and eternal optimism will inspire others to adopt her life philosophy and to realize they are not alone. I also want to encourage others to talk with the elders in their families, capture those stories. Don’t let those stories die.”
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