The Unfinished Story - Life's Tragedy

by Judy Sander Cockrell

This is a true story of a young women and her tragic end. If you recognize this women or any part of this story, please contact me. Judy

"Peggy" Pinkard was the first born and only daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Ralph Pinckard. Hazel Edith Pauline Pinckard is shown in the 1920 Kittitas census as being 6 years old and was noted using the name of "Hazel". I have found other incidents of her under the name Hazel Edith, and Edith Pauline as well. Everyone who knew her later in life called her "Peggy" and this is the name she preferred.

Peggy was born in Ellensburg Washington on January 19,1914, and grew up in the Sander home with her grandmother Olive Sander, and her mother and father, Edith and Dr. Ralph Pinkard. her brother James (Pinky) arrived three years later.

Peggy spent her young school years in Ellensburg. After spending a year at Ellensburg Normal School (now Washington Central College), she graduated from Reed College in Portland. She also attended Miss Princess School in Boston for one year. She worked for several companys in the insurance business. She was a slender, attractive single women with many hopes and dreams.

Sometime in the early 1960's, when Peggy was in her 40's, she was involved in a life threatening automobile accident. There were several others (unknown) hurt in the wreck as well. The accident happened somewhere on the old hwy. between Yakima and Ellensburg. She was rushed to a hospital in Yakima. Her extensive injuries required doctors to amputate one of her arms. Her leg may as well have been amputated, as she never regained any use of it. At one point, when her brother James came to visit her, their mother Edith was sick and in the same hospital as Peggy.

Peggy was probably in the hospital for many months, and when she recovered enough she returned home to Ellensburg. her mother, in her will, dated 12-7-1967, left the caretakers? home (across the street from the Sander/Pinkard estate?) to Peggy. It was stated she was living there at the time. Also noted was the very substantial financial assistance given to her prior, probably as a result of her injuries.

She was never able to care for herself after the accident and required family and hired help. at some point her and her brother James had a falling out. She was addicted to pain medication and was not coherent on many occasions, often causing fights between the two. Many times in the middle of the night James was called to calm Peggy down. the medication she took would cause her to rage, her anger was explosive, and her world empty.

In January 1970, Peggy moved to Seattle, and her occupation was listed as Wash. St. Dept. of Public Assistance. I am not sure, but can assume that she was living under a Washington States Public Assistance program, and so claimed as her "occupation".

She was in great pain all of the time, and relied on heavy doses of pain medication to survive.

She died eleven months later, on November 8, 1970 in her apartment of a drug overdose. some say it was suicide, some say accidental.

Peggy died alone... a broken body with shattered dreams. She was 56 years, nine months, and nine days old. Peggy was survived by her brother James, aunts R.L. Rutter, and Ann (Warren) Hinton, and Uncle Glenn Henderson.

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