Peggy E. Ready

Retired Judge Peggy Elizabeth Ready passed away after a long illness on November 15, 2015. She was born in Eudora, Arkansas in 1938 to Audrey and Cliff Ready. The family later moved to Greenville, Mississippi where Judge Ready grew up and graduated from high school. She received her undergraduate education at Blue Mountain College in Blue Mountain, Mississippi. When she received her degree, adventure called and she joined the Red Cross and went to Korea to serve as a "Doughnut Dolly" to the troops who were stationed there. Her service with the Red Cross spanned several years and she served in France and Morocco before entering the Women's Army Corps as a first lieutenant in 1965.

Judge Ready had several "firsts" to her credit. In 1966, she was selected to go to Vietnam, activate and command the first all women's unit assigned to a combat zone. For her service in Vietnam she was awarded the bronze star, and the meritorious service medal. She remained in the active Army until age 35 when she decided to pursue a career in the legal field and reverted to Army Reserve status. She became the first woman commandant of an Army Reserve School and retired from the Army Reserve as a full colonel in 1993.. She was the first woman to receive an honorary membership in the Mosby Rangers. While she serve in the Army Reserve she also attended the University of South Carolina law school, graduating in 1979. She moved to St. Augustine, Florida, where her legal career began. She took a part time job as a public defender and a year later was promoted to chief of the office serving in that capacity until she was invited to join a private law firm in 1984. In 1988 she became a prosecutor and served as Assistant State Attorney in St. Johns County, Florida until 1990 when she was appointed by Governor Bob Martinez to a County Court Judge vacancy. She served in this capacity unopposed for the next 10 years.
Colonel Ready's military decorations included the following: The Bronze Star, Meritorious Service Medal,
Army commendation medal with 2 Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Reserve Components Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Viet Nam Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon, Vietnam Campaign medal, Viet Nam Cross of Gallantry.

Peggy loved to travel so when she retired in 2000 she and her best friend bought a motor home and learned to drive it on a trip from St. Augustine to Alaska where they drove the Alaska highway in an all women's caravan for 40 days. She continued her RV travels throughout the United States and Canada for the next several years. She enjoyed hiking and celebrated her 60th birthday by going to Peru and hiking the 30 mile Inca Trail from Cusco to Machu Pichu. Her enjoyment of hiking brought her to the north Georgia mountains and she eventually moved from Florida to Blairsville.

Peggy was a member of the Blairsville Vietnam Vets chapter and was a generous contributor to the local senior center, the Georgia Mountain Food Bank, and the Women in Military Service for American Memorial Foundation, Relay for Life and numerous other charitable organizations.

Peggy was an inspiration to all who knew her. She will be remembered for her infectious laughter, her ability to see humor in almost everything and her positive outlook on life. She is survived by her best friend and life partner LTC Janie Miller, her brother David Ready of Greenville, Mississippi and her three dogs: Tumble, Reno and Copper. Peggy was preceded in death by her parents, and a sister, Susan Ready. Contributions in her memory can be made to the Georgia Mountain Food Bank, 9th District. Remains will be interred at Arlington National Cemetery. A celebration of her life will be held at her home at a later date.

Arrangements entrusted to the care of Cochran Funeral Home and Crematory of Blairsville. Please share your condolences with the family on our website, www.cochranfuneralhomes.com.