Rachel P. (Stover) Grainger, 91, of Marion died Monday, November 4, 2013, peacefully at the Decatur House assisted living in Sandwich, MA.
Rachel, known as Peggy, was the wife of the late Douglas H. Grainger.
Born in Nutley, NJ, daughter of the late Jordan H. Stover II and Helen (Weeks) Stover, she was raised in Greenwich, CT where Peggy met her husband shortly after World War II. They moved to Boston where she started her career in decorating. Peggy had an amazing sense of color and decorating, paired with a vision of what a home could become. However, she was far ahead of her time in the business world. She bought and renovated many homes in the surrounding area. In order to achieve this career path, Peggy had to get her husband to obtain loans, because banks would not lend to her on her own. She fluffed and flipped houses 30 years before the term was coined.
She was a direct descendant of Jacob Stover who drove General George Washington's wagon during the Revolutionary War.
She and her husband enjoyed extensive travels throughout Asia. During this time she became an expert in Japanese and Chinese porcelain. She founded and owned Dynasty Antiques for 35 years. Peggy was a member of the Kittansett Club since moving to Marion in 1971. Among her hobbies were fishing, gardening, painting and entertaining.
Survivors include her four sons, Douglas H. Grainger, Jr and his wife, Ann Marie, Jacob S. Grainger and his wife, Jody, Gary B. Grainger, Geoffrey W. Grainger and his wife, Karilon and eight grandchildren.
A celebration of her life will be planned at a later date.