March 11, 1918 - September 3, 2003

         Area businessman Cecil W. Peck, 85, died September 3, 2003, at Crowell Memorial Home in Blair, NE where he had resided for the last year.

     Services were held on September 6, 2003, at the First United Methodist Church in Blair with Rev. Nancy Flader officiating.  Burial was in Blair Cemetery.

     He was born March 11, 1918, in Lyons, to Benjamin F. and Louisa (Compton) Peck.  He grew up in Burt County and graduated from Decatur High School in 1937.

     He moved to Blair with his family in 1939 and attended a welding school in Omaha.  He started a welding shop in Herman in 1941.  Before enlisting in the U.S. Army in 1942, he worked at the Glenn L. Martin aircraft plant in Bellevue.  During the European Theatre of World War II, he served with the 687th Engineering Co.  After the war, he attended Milford Technical School.

     He married Margaret Baker at Weeping Water in 1947 and they made their home in Blair.  He was employed  at Kelly Ryan until 1963.  In 1969, the couple founded Peck Manufacturing Company in Herman where they worked until retirement.

      Peck enjoyed traveling and family vacations.

    Preceding him in death were a sister and brother-in-law, Dorothy and Ted Wilder, and two brothers and sisters-in-law, Harold and Ruth Peck and Sheldon and Frances Peck.

     Survivors include his wife of Blair; two daughters and sons-in-law, Janet and Craig Owen of Audubon, Iowa, and Nancy and Ron Williby of Blair; one son and daughter-in-law, Steven and Rosa Peck of Blair; nine grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; sister and brother-in-law, Mildred and Vernon Robeson of Huntsville, AL; brothers-in-law and wives, Ivan and Marjorie Baker of Davenport, IA, Lewis Baker of Bellevue; nieces and nephews.

     Memorials are suggested to Blair First United Methodist Church or Crowell Memorial Home.