Peggy Gassberry Gassberry-Jenkins

Grandchildren Names and Ages: ISLA BORN JULY 2018, HOLLIS BORN APRIL 2014, SKYLER BORN APRIL 2010; MAKIEL BORN APRIL 2002; MATTHEW AND MCCAYLE BORN JULY 2000, TRHS GRAD OF 2018; ELLEN, BORN NOV. 1995 SHE NOW HAS 2 LITTLE BOYS, BORN 2016 AND 2018.

I ALWAYS LOVED SCHOOL FROM ELEMENTARY THROUGH COLLEGE. I FIRST ATTENDED CROCKER SCHOOL, BUT THE INVENTION OF THE INTERSTATE/FREEWAY BROUGHT ME TO BIRD SCHOOL EARLY IN KINDERGARTEN.

MANY OF US ATTENDED BIRD, CALLANAN, ROOSEVELT AND DRAKE. I TREASURE THESE FRIENDSHIPS AND THE NEW ONES I'VE MADE ALONG THE WAY.

I AM SURE SOME OF MY LOVE FOR SCHOOL HAD TO DO WITH BEING AN ONLY CHILD. WHERE ELSE ARE YOU GOING TO HANG OUT BUT SCHOOL, YOUR NEIGHBOR'S AND FRIEND'S HOUSES, YOUR COUSIN'S HOUSES OR CHURCH?

ALL OF THESE SOURCES WERE A SOLID FOUNDATION FOR THE WOMAN I HAVE GROWN UP TO BE, SPIRITUAL, LESS SHY OR QUIET, HONEST, HARDWORKING, FUN, CARING, AND SKYLER'S AND ELLEN'S FAVORITE GRANDMA IN IOWA, THE OTHER GRANDMA IS A CALI GIRL!!!

VIVIAN BRYSON IS STILL ONE OF MY VERY BEST FRIENDS AND THE GODMOTHER OF OUR SONS AND HONORARY GODMOM TO OUR DAUGHTER, SHE IS ALSO A GREAT AUNT TO OUR GRANDCHILDREN SKYLER AND ELLEN.

AS YOU NOW VIVIAN IS A MINISTER NOW AND EULOGIZED BOTH MY MOM'S SERIVCE IN 2002 AND MY HUSBAND'S IN JULY (2011).

I AM ALSO STILL BEST FRIENDS WITH TWYLA WINTERS-WOODS, VIVIAN WHITNEY-HENDERSON AND SANDY WOLDER, YOU'LL ONLY REMEMBER VIVIAN WHITNEY FROM CALLANAN, SHE TOOK THE OFFER TO ATTEND ST. JOE'S, I PASSED I WAS JUST GETTING TO THE AGE TO DATE, NO WAY I WAS GOING TO ATTEND AN ALL GIRL'S SCHOOL AND WEAR UNIFORMS. :)

MY FAVORITE CLASSES WERE ENGLISH, COMPOSITION, JOURNALISM AND SPANISH (WRITING AND TALKING THAT WAS ME)!

IT HAS BEEN FUN RECONNECTING THROUGH THIS WEBSITE AS WELL AS ON FACEBOOK WITH CLASSMATES AND FRIENDS.

I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING MANY OF YOU NEXT WEEK.

IN '71 I WENT TO DRAKE TO MAJOR IN JOURNALISM, THEN WENT BACK TO DRAKE IN 1989 TO MAJOR IN PSYCH AND MINOR IN SOC. I LOVE TAKING CLASSES AND WILL PROBABLY BE ONE OF THOSE LITTLE OLD LADIES AUDITING EVERY CLASS AVAILABLE WHEN I RETIRE!

I MARRIED ROBERT (BOB) JENKINS IN 1974 (ALTHO HE WAS TOO OLD AT THE TIME, I KNEW HE WAS GOING TO BE MY HUSBAND WHEN I MET HIM IN 1969).

WE HAD 2 SONS, AND A STEPDAUGHTER WHO LIVES IN CALI. ALL THREE CHILDREN HAVE THEIR DAD'S MUSICAL TALENTS.

WE WERE MARRIED FOR 36 PLUS YEARS, BOB PASSED IN JULY 2011, SO I AM WORKING OUT THIS NEW LIFE TRANSITION, BUT MY FAITH IS STRONG AND I KNOW BOB IS NO LONGER SUFFERING.

I AM THE SUNDAY SCHOOL SUPER AND CHRISTIAN EDUCATION DIRECTOR AT MY CHURCH AND THE VBS DIRECTOR EACH SUMMER. THOUGH I TEACH THE ADULT SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS BY DEFAULT, THE LITTLE ONES ARE MY PASSION, WATCHING THEM GROW AND FIND THEIR FAITH.

FOR A FEW YEARS I VOLUNTEERED AS A MENTOR IN THE DSM SCHOOL SYSTEM THROUGH THE DSM RLEIGIOUS COUNCIL AND BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB, I STARTED WITH MY YOUNG MAN IN 4TH GRADE UNTIL HIS 8TH GRADE YEAR, WE STILL HAD SOME CONTACT DURING THE BEGINNING OF HIS HIGH SCHOOL YEARS, SOME CIRCUMSTANCES AT THE TIME KEPT ME FROM BEING A COMMITTED AS I LIKED TO BE.

I GUESS SUNDAY SCHOOL AND MENTORING FULFILLED MY TEACHING DESIRE AND THE ISU PROJECT (SEE BELWO) FUELS MY LOVE OF CHILDREN AND THEIR WELL-BEING. I LOVE CHILD PSYCH AND FOR THE SOCIOLOGY SIDE I LOVE GENERIATRIC STUDIES, PROBABLY BECAUSE AT THE TIME MY MOM WAS IN A CARE FACILITY, SO I GOT TO EXPERIENCE WHAT I WAS LEARNING.

I CURRENTLY WORK FOR THE PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL GROUP (SINCE 1973 - W/B 45 YRS IN SEPT) AS A CONTRACTS CONSULTANT EMPLOYEE BENEFITS SPECIALIST.


I RETIRED, FROM PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL GROUP, AFTER 46 YEARS AND 3 MONTHS ON DECEMBER 31, 2019.

I WORK PART-TIME THROUGH AUTUMN OF 2011 FOR IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA (ATHENS) ON A LONGITUDINAL RESEARCH PROJECT THROUGH THE INSTITUTE FOR SOCIAL/BEHAVIORAL RESEARCH. THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH, THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON ALCOHOL ABUSE AND ALCOHOLISM, AND THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE SUPPORT THE PROJECT.

INTERVIEWING IS DONE WITH FAMILIES WHERE THE TARGET CHILD HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED AS AFRICAN-AMERICAN.

WE HAVE FOLLOWED THESE FAMILIES SINCE 1997 WHEN THE TARGET CHILDREN WERE 9-10 YRS OLD; INTERVIEWING THEM BI-ANNUALLY FOCUSING ON COPING SKILLS AND PARENTING PRACTICES AND HOW THIS RELATES TO THEM SOCIALLY.

THE STUDY IS CONCERNED WITH HOW BOTH FAMILY PROCESSES/PARENTING AND COMMUNITY CHARACTERISTICS INFLUENCE CHILD DEVELOPMENT AND ADULT WELL-BEING.

THE NEIGHBORHOODS BEING STUDIED ARE LOCATED IN SMALL TOWN AND RURAL POPULATION CENTERS. SOME NEIGHBORHOODS ARE RELATIVELY POOR AND OTHERS ARE QUITE AFFLUENT. THE STUDY FOCUSES UPON ISSUES SUCH AS WHETHER A STRONG FAMILY CAN PROTECT A CHILD FROM THE RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH LIFE IN A DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITY, OR CONVERSELY, WHETHER LIVING IN A STRONG COMMUNITY CAN PROTECT CHILDREN FROM THE NEGATIVE INFLUENCE OF FAMILY EXPERIENCING SIGNIFICANT PROBLEMS.

EARLY ON, THE RESEARCHERS VIDEOTAPED INTERACTIONS BETWEEN THE PRIMARY CAREGIVERS AND THE TARGET CHILD, AND BETWEEN THE PRIMARY AND SECONDARY CAREGIVERS.

RECENTLY VARIOUS GENETIC COMPONENTS HAVE BEEN ADDED.