Longtime Santa Barbara resident, Peggy Jane Ashkins, died August 21, 2021, at the age of 77. She was born on October 4, 1943 to Jane Gordon Ashkins and Milton H. Ashkins in Seattle, Washington. As the daughter of a Brigadier General, Peggy spent her formative years traveling with family and receiving her education in such diverse places as Ankara, Turkey; Wilmington, Delaware; Yuma, Arizona; Panama City, Florida; Frankfurt, Germany; and College Park, Maryland.
Peggy spent her 20s pursuing acting in Los Angeles. In her 30s, she became co-owner of Santa Barbara Cab and Touring Company where she thoroughly enjoyed meeting new people and loved sharing stories of her celebrity encounters. Peggy’s hobbies included photography, astrology, researching Jack London at the local library, and taking long walks on her beloved Santa Barbara waterfront.
In her later years, she focused on family and community. Known as “Aunt Peggy” to her nieces and “Gappy” (Great Aunt Peggy) to her great-nieces, she was a devoted aunt, sister and daughter and acted as a caregiver to her parents. In honor of her great love and respect for children, she dedicated free time to working with a program that provided daycare to children
of the homeless.
Preceded in death by her parents, Jane Gordon Ashkins and Milton H. Ashkins, Peggy is survived by her sister and brother-in-law, Lorrie and John Studdard of Cypress, Texas; her nieces, Melissa Studdard of Cypress, Texas and Kelly Studdard Carlson of Tomball, Texas; and her great-nieces, Rosalind Williamson of Cypress, Texas and Carolyn Carlson of Tomball, Texas.
