Peggy Hill and the Rucker Hill family
In her heyday, Peggy Hill was admired as one of Lake Highlands’ most successful real estate agents. Everyone in the community knew her, it seemed, and she knew everyone. She could tell you which addresses had the best views, the tallest trees, the bluest pools and the highest-ranking schools.
Peggy is 83 years old today, and she’s caught in a battle over where she’ll get to live out her remaining days. She’s made her decision, and — in true Peggy style — she’s dug in her heels, at times being forced to fight judges, court-appointed guardians, her own children and even the police.
Peggy admits her memory isn’t what it used to be. In fact, a Texas court appointed a guardian for her after she was diagnosed with dementia. She acquired an apartment in Presbyterian Village North’s memory care unit and her four living children worked out an agreement that she’d spend half of her time there and half of her time in Fort Collins, Colorado, living with Rucker and Rebecca Hill, her son and daughter-in-law.
That’s when things went awry.
She was scheduled to return to Dallas in February, but Peggy simply refused. “I’ll go back to Dallas in a pine box,” she declared. Her guardian attempted to persuade her. The police were called out to persuade her. Medication was offered to sedate her. Her belongings were packed despite her objections, but Peggy simply wouldn’t budge.
In Fort Collins, Peggy’s bedroom has a big sliding glass door. The patio outside is surrounded by flowers, birds, chickens and occasional visits from deer and foxes, according to her longtime friend, Charlie Stobaugh. She spends time with her three grandsons, attends church and makes applesauce from the family orchard.
“My heart is so full of happiness,” she told Charlie about her life in Colorado. “I feel like I’m in heaven.”
On Tuesday, Rucker and Rebecca were ordered to Judge Julia Malveaux’s Dallas courtroom to answer why they haven’t brought Peggy back to Dallas. They’ve been accused of manipulating Peggy and intentionally delaying her return. Rucker and Rebecca say Peggy is perfectly capable of travel — in fact, she visited Kansas on a previous occasion. She just refuses to come back to her room at PVM with one window overlooking the parking lot.
Judge Malveaux is expected to rule today on two issues: whether Rucker and Rebecca will be jailed or fined for not returning Peggy to Dallas and whether Peggy will be allowed to remain in Fort Collins.
“This is not simply a family disagreement,” says Charlie. “It raises a larger and deeply troubling question: What happens when a guardianship system created to protect an elderly woman begins operating against her clearly and repeatedly expressed wishes and is against her own medical care?”
Peggy’s physicians in Colorado have diagnosed her with normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), which causes a buildup of fluid in the brain. They plan to install a shunt and drain the fluid, and they believe many of her health and memory issues will improve following the surgery. Moving her back to Texas will delay that process.
“Peggy is a human being, not a piece of property to be transported between states,” Charlie continues. “She has repeatedly and consistently expressed where she wants to live. She has established a home, family life and medical team in Colorado. She is awaiting treatment for a serious neurological condition. The people caring for her now face the possibility of punishment because they would not use physical force against her.”
Peggy’s son Ted declined to comment for this story. Her other children live outside of Dallas County.
This post will be updated when the court makes its ruling.
Update: Judge Julia Malveaux issued an order Wednesday permitting Rucker and Rebecca Hill to return home to Fort Collins. Peggy was granted permission to remain there and undergo brain surgery on Sept. 4.
