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Letter to the editor

Mother of 7 helped raise others with parenting column

By Stephanie Hayes, Times Staff Writer
Published March 13, 2008

ADVERTISEMENT Peggy Daubert, 78, wrote "Preschool Patter," a column that ran for 10 years in the Evening Independent. [Handout]

ST. PETERSBURG - Peggy Daubert had run low on interesting things to do. Finger painting and picture books were old news.

At home, she had a handful to entertain- seven kids, ages 8, 7, 6, 5, 3, 2 and 1.

In 1970, a friend from the Evening Independent had an idea - why didn't Ms. Dauber write a parenting column? She could trade ideas with other parents.

So began "Preschool Patter," a column that ran for 10 years in the newspaper. When her kids got older, the name changed to "Your Child."

Her son, David Daubert, remembers his mom hunkered over a typewriter, banging out columns. She'd race to the office to hand-deliver them on deadline. She loved the rush of writing and seeing her name in print.

Her children now are left with stacks of her writing to sort through. On Monday, Ms. Daubert died at her St. Petersburg apartment after a series of illnesses. She was 78.

Her column was more than an idea exchange. It was a place where her kids grew up.

Cecile couldn't find her gym shoes. Valerie had papers for her mom to sign, but couldn't find a pen. Elise tried out for softball pitching with an all-star team. The frantic morning when David overslept and his mom struggled to whip up a quick breakfast. Claire and her mom put presents under the Christmas tree - Cecile saw, shattering her belief in Santa.

"We didn't quite understand what it meant then," said David Daubert, now 45. "But years and years later, I would say my name, and people would look at me with that look, and say, 'Are you Peggy's son?' "

In the column, Ms. Daubert gave parents tips on starting the school year, saving money, creating structure and dealing with stress. At home, she was a softening agent between her firm husband, David, and the children, her family said. She wanted to see them comfortable and smiling.

Before she had children, she taught school overseas for the military. She lived in Japan, Turkey, Denmark and France, where she met her husband.

In 1980, they divorced. Ms. Daubert went back into teaching, instructing special needs kids at Nina Harris and Richard L. Sanders schools in Pinellas Park.

"I enjoy my time with the children," Ms. Daubert wrote in a column about teaching at Nina Harris. "Some days, I feel I get back more from the children than I can put into a day there."

When Ms. Daubert's youngest daughter, Valerie, was a teenager, she got pregnant. Ms. Daubert raised her grandson Matthew, now 22, as one of her own. She loved it.

One more chance at motherhood.

Stephanie Hayes can be reached at shayes@sptimes.com or 727 893-8857.

Biography

Peggy Daubert

Born: Jan. 28, 1930

Died: March 10, 2008

Survivors: Children, Ann Epperson, David B. Daubert, Paul Daubert, Claire Hancock, Elise Harrison, Valerie Gunderson; sister, Ann Blaxton; numerous grandchildren; predeceased by daughter, Cecile Daubert.

[Last modified March 12, 2008, 22:56:19]