Dr. Faith Bernadette Crosby

Dr. Faith Bernadette Crosby passed away on December 11, 2024, as a result of complications from a recently diagnosed lymphatic cancer. She was 74 years old. For over thirty years, Faith worked as a pediatrician in Greensboro, North Carolina, in both public health and private practice, and as a volunteer physician in local and international settings.

Faith was born in New York City on February 24, 1950. Her parents were John B. Crosby and Ruth Sager Crosby (later Kohmann) and she was raised with her brother Jay and sister Linda in Garden City, NY. After graduating from high school in New York, Faith attended Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, MA. There she grew a close circle of friends with whom she remained close throughout her life and who she loved dearly. Faith then studied both nutrition and public health, before attending medical school at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, SC, where she graduated in 1977.

While a medical student at MUSC, Faith became close friends with Michael and Judy Collins, who introduced her to Ralph Peeples, her future husband. Faith and Ralph were married in 1978 in Charleston, SC, and shortly thereafter moved to Hillsborough, NC, while Faith completed her residency at Duke University Hospital and Ralph began his career as a professor at Wake Forest University Law School. They later moved to Lexington, NC, before settling in Greensboro in 1988.

Faith and Ralph had their first child, Katherine Nolen (Kate), in 1980. Their son Samuel Alexander (Sam) was born in 1985, followed by the twins, Emma Elizabeth and Michael James in 1987. Their children learned a great deal from Faith and Ralph, not the least of which was to keep a sense of humor (Ralph) and to “keep moving,” even when things are hard (Faith). Faith was an incredible mother who loved her children fiercely and completely, supporting each of them through a great deal of adversity.

Faith had a truly formidable intelligence paired with a loving heart, a tremendous work ethic, and a strong sense of social justice. Throughout her career as a pediatrician, she supported the health and well-being of mothers and children in Guilford County. After retiring from private practice in 2009, she traveled internationally to provide care for families in rural and impoverished areas, including Guatemala and Haiti (shortly after the devastating 2010 earthquake). She cared deeply about the plight of families in poverty and immigrant families, lending her voice to calls for greater social supports for under-resourced families at home and abroad.

Faith was preceded in death by her husband, Ralph, in 2023, as well as her parents and siblings. She is survived by her four children: Kate Peeples (Normal, IL), Sam Peeples (Black Mountain, NC), Emma Peeples (Greensboro, NC), and Michael Peeples (Greensboro, NC). Faith also adored her many nieces and nephews, as well as her Crosby half-siblings and Sager cousins.

A memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family invites donations in Faith’s name to any of the following charities & causes that were dear to her.

• The Shalom Project Medical Clinic (Winston-Salem, NC): https://theshalomprojectnc.org/giving-opportunities

• Mustard Seed Community Health (Greensboro, NC): https://www.mustardseedclinic.org/donate-now

• The ACLU of North Carolina: https://action.aclu.org/give/tribute-aclu-nc

• Doctors Without Borders: https://donate.doctorswithoutborders.org