Little Peggy’s beginnings were joyful, as a child she rode in the families cream-colored convertible complete with rumble seat and red spoke wheels. There were trips to Broadway and country club lunches. As a direct descendent of Ethan Allen and an ancestry that tracks back to the Mayflower, she was an all American girl. Grange went on to be a proud “Mountie Girl” and graduate of Centenary College for Women. She was raised to be a proper lady and she was, however, she was also a young woman with a spirit for adventure. Moved by the rhythms of jazz the world of Bebop was drawing her in with the sumptuous energy and intensity of its music. Her social circle included jazz greats: Charlie Parker, Miles Davis, Max Roach, Sarah Vaughan, Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie and many more. Gillespie gave her the name that would stay with her for a lifetime: “Lady Haig.” The most influential man to enter her life was one of the finest jazz pianists that ever lived: Alan Haig – The man who, under the influence of a cup of tea and a violent nature, raped Grange Rutan. After two months of abuse, several black eyes, and a broken nose Grange had the courage to flee her marriage to Al Haig. This in an era when women didn’t leave their husbands and those who did were considered damaged goods. Her second marriage to a powerful man also ended bitterly with two trips to the Supreme Court over the divorce. She did, however, come away with the true loves of her life: her son and daughter. During Her second marriage Grange learned about the murder of Bonnie J. Gallagher Haig: the wife that did not survive. A murder for which Alan Haig was arrested but would not spend a single day in prison after a friend posted his home for bail. It took Grange years before she realized she was a survivor of abuse. She simply saw her self as the wife before Al Haig’s murdered wife Bonnie – A woman who would haunt Grange for years, until she began to write “DEATH OF A BEBOP WIFE.” What started out as a fifteen-year writing journey to preserve the memory of a legendary jazz pianist turned into a voice for Bonnie Haig. Grange “Lady Haig” Rutan is a woman who answers to many names. Anyone who believes they truly know her has barely scratched the surface. She is a dynamic woman who marches to her own beat. A prolific writer, her words glide effortlessly from pen to page like fine spun silk. She is strong and fearless. At age 69 she is more energetic than women half her age. She often tells friends she admires their savvy strut; yet with the grace of a wild mustang she is the originator of the savvy strut. The Lady will not be caged, controlled, or corralled. Her unbreakable spirit continues to dance and her voice continues to speak for those who dare
Posted on: Fri, 14 Jun 2013 23:15:06 +0000
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