Joseph Henry Peek

JOSEPH HENRY PEEK
(1935-2016)

Joseph (Joe) Henry Peek, 81, of Decatur, Georgia, passed away on Friday, December 16, 2016.

Joe's life was filled with activity from being a Boy Scout, a trumpet player, a Naval officer, an airline pilot, a husband, a father, a grandfather, to his most important role, a man of God.
He was born in Ray, Arizona, and attended Tucson public schools where he earned recognition on the competition rifle team as well as in the band as a trumpet player.
Following in the steps of his father who was a distinguished scout leader, Joe became an Eagle Scout and was inducted into the Order of the Arrow.
Fluent in Spanish, Joe started playing in mariachi bands at the age of fifteen. He continued to play the trumpet with various bands, most recently, the Callanwolde Concert Band, with whom he never missed a show. His last show was on Sunday, December 4th, where he submitted his retirement from the band and was immediately enlisted as their new announcer.
After graduating from Tucson High School in 1953, Joe entered the University of Arizona and was in the Navy ROTC. His proficiency and leadership skills helped him get nominated and ultimately appointed to the Naval Academy. At the Academy, he participated on the rifle team, in the marching and dance bands, and in pulling off practical jokes. After being commissioned from the Academy in 1960 with a degree in Electrical Engineering, he went on to serve as an officer and as an aviator in the U.S. Navy from 1960-1967, achieving the rank of lieutenant. On October 13, 1961, he received his wings in New Iberia, Louisiana, where he developed a great fondness for Tabasco sauce. Joe served on the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Wasp and saw action in the Cuban Missile Crisis. He also assisted in the training of Chilean pilots. He never missed watching an Army/Navy football game, often with his fellow alumni, including the last one on Saturday, December 10th.
While on a Naval summer cruise escorting the Queen of England up the St. Lawrence Seaway, he met his own queen Mary Joan Roche, whom he would marry on June 24, 1961, in Buffalo, NY. Together they would have eleven children about whom he would exclaim, "God's pride, my joy." From his Naval training, Joe exhibited tough love, but his most impactful impressions were made through his charity and mercy shown through his teddy bear hugs and attentiveness in conversations. From thence on, he was affectionately called, "The Benevolent Dictator." Though his work took him away from home for lengthy periods, he showed interest in the development of character in his children, modeling for them the spirit of volunteerism by serving as a volunteer fireman in Copiague, NY, and as an early board member at Christendom College – where four of his children attended. Joe also opened his heart and home to care for other children, especially two from Guatemala who needed medical attention.
Joe had a great love for his Naval career but an even greater love for his family. He chose to take a cut in pay and resigned his Naval commission so that he could spend more time with his family. Joe took the opportunity to fly commercially for Eastern Airlines from 1966-1989, attaining the rank of Captain. Sadly, after willingly making several pay-cuts for the survival of the airline, Joe was forced into early retirement. He loved flying, and not being able to do so, caused him great sadness. Following the demise of Eastern, he courageously reinvented himself as a locksmith, teaching himself the skills at home. Fellow locksmiths assisted him, and many a stranded motorist or home owner was ministered to by him, though he had little money for advertising. Looking for benefits, he became a bus driver, paraprofessional, Spanish teacher, and Information Technologist for Dekalb County School Systems--where he loved being around the children, especially at Coralwood Elementary. However, nothing ever quite filled the pain of the loss of flying.
Every evening, Joe would lead the family rosary, with meditations from the Fr. Peyton Rosary Book, whose motto, "The family who prays together stays together," was taken seriously. He made sure the family went to confession on Saturdays and sat in the front pew at Mass on Sundays. Joe would then quiz the children on the way home from Mass to see if they were paying attention to the readings and to the homily. He was seen by the community as an Apostle of Joy. Joe never knew a stranger and would strike up a conversation with anyone whose path he crossed. Many holiday dinners, he would invite complete strangers to the house to share in the family meal. Joe was also known to make random phone calls to check up on people with whom he went to school, people who had an illness, people who suffered a loss of some kind, and people who might be lonely. His children could always count on him to be there to help them out of a tough situation or to talk about a difficult decision. Joe had great devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, serving as an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist at church and to the sick and homebound. In recent and difficult times, he was known to continuously pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet.
Joe is preceded in death by his beloved son Fr. Joseph M. Peek, and his three precious grandchildren, Jedidiah Arendale, Jeremiah Vivanco, and Gabriela Garcia-Carreras.
He is survived by his wife Mary; his ten surviving children - Sr. Mary Agnes of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Kathleen (Brad) Bechen, Denise Jordan, Margaret (Jerome) Boudreaux, Fr. Kevin Peek, Rosemary (David) Bernard, Sean Peek, Regina (Jose) Vivanco, Elizabeth (Chris) Arendale, and Christina (Michael) Garcia-Carreras; his sister-in-law Sr. Denise Roche; and his forty-one grandchildren.
The family will receive friends and loved ones at AS Turner and Sons Funeral Home, 2773 North Decatur Rd, Decatur, GA 30033, on Tuesday, December 20, from 6-8 p.m. A Mass of Christian burial will be held on Wednesday, December 21st, at 9:30 a.m. at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, 2855 Briarcliff Road, Atlanta, GA 30329. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Carmelite Monastery of the Holy Family, 510 E. Gore Road, Erie, PA 16509, and Pinecrest Academy Band, 955 Peachtree Parkway, Cumming, GA 30041. In the memo line, please include: In Memory of Joseph H. Peek.


Funeral Home:
A. S. Turner & Sons
2773 North Decatur Road
Decatur, GA
30033