I think I met Peggi Siefert about ten years ago. Maybe twelve. Her company in Indiana had sent her to live in South Georgia to call on Georgia funeral homes.
We first met in my furniture store which really wasn’t a furniture store. It was just a small room with a counter for folks to browse thru furniture catalogs and fabric samples. I ordered furniture for folks at greatly reduced prices.
The only furniture in stock was a few recliners. When Peggi came in I offered her a seat in one of the recliners. As she started to sit down, I quickly told her that she might not want to sit in that particular chair because a customer had recently passed away in it. As she jumped to her feet, I explained that a man and his wife bought the chair, we delivered it and he died suddenly the next day sitting in it. I thought it was only right to refund the money for the chair. I brought it back to the store to sell again….at a reduced price. (You have to knock a little off the regular price in those kinds of circumstances).
Peggi and I sat there for a while that afternoon. (She didn't sit in the "reduced" chair). Of course, I told her a story or two. She laughed a lot at my story or two, so I told her a lot of stories. And she continued to laugh. She was still laughing as she drove away. I think at my accent as much as the stories.
I don’t think she ever got around to presenting her product to me that day. But she did on subsequent visits and I would become her customer and she would become my friend.
But that day when she drove off I was thinking there is no way that “yankee” girl would ever make it dealing with a bunch of redneck undertakers from Georgia. I thought she was like a fish out of water.
But oh was I wrong.
Peggi not only made it but she made it big time. She quickly became known in “funeral circles” all over Georgia and has enjoyed a very successful career in Georgia. She recently took a position with a major casket company as a Sales Representative in South Georgia. Batesville Casket Company did a good days work with they lured her away from the other company and got this gal to join their team.
But those are not the greatest accomplishments for this Yankee turned Georgia Peach. A few years ago, Peggi decided to enter politics of all things. I’m not sure of her party affiliation but she entered a political race and she won. And she has now served well for several years as a public official.
It takes some guts and some maneuvering and a lot of talent for a young Catholic girl from Indiana to move to South Georgia and win over a bunch of opinionated undertakers.
But it takes a lot more than that to be elected Mayor of Remerton Georgia.
My friend Peggi Siefert is something special.
It sure is nice to have friends in high places.
3 comments:
I wish to thank Bruce Goddard for his tribute and his friendship. I have never met a man like Bruce - nor have I ever sat in a chair that someone supposedly passed away in and consequently was up for sale in a furniture store? I am a humble Yankee trying to do right in south Georgia. I have enjoyed my past 10 years in Remerton and look forward to my future in the Peach State. Thanks again Bruce for your numerous blessings that you share with so many!!
Thnx Peggi. Like I said, you are something else. Good luck on your upcoming marriage. He better treat you good!
Very well written! I work for one of the greatest Deep South Georgia Funeral Services, (I'm very partial and opinionated being a natural born deep south georgia peach) and have had the pleasure of knowing Peggi for the past 4 years. Peggi succeeds beacuse she has the rare quality of being a listener. She invests in people and not things. She listens, she learns and God has given her great returns. We are proud of our Yankee South Georgia Peach! Blessings on your marriage and your new career! Go Girl!!
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