Charles E. Peek

Charles E. Peek, 81, of Bluffton, passed away at 3:05 a.m. Thursday, August 26, 2010 at Bluffton Regional Medical Center. He was born September 7, 1928, in Millersburg, Ohio to Penn C. Peek and Florence (King) Peek. He is survived by his wife Carolyn (Line) Peek of Bluffton, a son Charles “Mike” Peek (wife: Debbie Allred) of Fort Wayne, two granddaughters, Jennifer Pfeifer (husband: Matt) of Illinois and Lori Meienburg (husband: Tim) of Ohio, and five great-grandchildren, Clay, Conner, and Raegan Pfeifer, Brody and Lucas Meienburg. He moved to Bluffton, Indiana in 1933, graduated from Poplar Grove School in 1943, and Bluffton High School in 1946. He played football, basketball, and softball. While in high school he worked at the Wells County Game Farm, now named Quabache State Park. After graduating he worked at Heller Stone Quarry, Ira Smuts Construction of Zanesville, and later drove a Standard Oil tank truck in the Markle area. He married Carolyn Sue Line at the Markle Methodist Church on July 1, 1950. He went to work for Majenica Telephone Company in 1960; he was transferred to Delphi, Indiana in 1971, where he worked until he retired in 1989, from Alltel Indiana Inc. Mr. Peek enjoyed hunting, fishing, and playing golf, where he was lucky enough to have made five holes-in-one and one eagle. While working for the telephone company he did lots of volunteer work, mostly for the Indiana Telephone Association. He served as President of District #3, worked three years on ITA’s convention committee where he served as President, Vice-president, and Secretary for seven years. During this time he was named Honorary Secretary of State in 1986 by Edwin J. Simcox for his devoted service. He was a member of Bluffton Masonic Lodge #145 for 54 years and the Scottish Rite of Fort Wayne. He resided in North Fort Myers, Florida for 13 years. While there, he belonged to the Shrine Temple where he was a volunteer, transporting crippled children to the Shriner’s Hospital in Tampa for a period of five years. He was a life member of the Elks and Moose lodges. He was a volunteer at Bluffton Regional Medical Center for a short time after returning to Bluffton. He also attended the First Church of Christ in Bluffton. Calling hours are 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Saturday at Thoma/Rich, Chaney & Lemler Funeral Home. Masonic services will be conducted by Bluffton Masonic Lodge #145 at 7:00 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Funeral service is 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the funeral home with Pastor Larry Sprinkle officiating. Entombment will follow in the mausoleum at Markle Cemetery. Preferred memorials are to the First Church of Christ or Family Hospice and Palliative Care. Online condolences may be made at www.thomarich.com.

Charles E. Peek

September 7, 1928 - August 26, 2010