Frederick Rawlings Peck

Frederick Rawlings Peck passed away at the age of 92 on May 6, 2017 in Tigard, Ore. He was born Feb. 1, 1925 in Grand Junction, Colo. to Frederick A. Peck and Mary Swan. Fred grew up and attended school in Grand Junction, Colo. He joined the Navy in 1942 at age 17, and served in the Pacific theater, flying as a radioman/gunner in Scouting Squadron 58. He attended college at University of New Mexico and graduate school at University of Arizona, where he met his first wife, Helen. He worked as a Park Service archaeologist at several National Parks, then as a high school teacher in Arizona, and lastly as an associate professor of anthropology and sociology at Western State University at Gunnison, Colo. He had a lifelong passion for the West and its wilderness, for Native American history and culture, and for his family. Fred is survived by his wife Diane Thomass Peck, of Montrose, Colo.; daughters Susan Shope (David) of Houston, Texas, and Meriel Brooks of Granville, N.Y. ; sons Alan Peck (Elizabeth) of Tigard, Ore., and Brian Peck of Raleigh, N.C.; stepdaughters Cheree Hammond (Scott) of Harrisonburg, Va., Ana Faith of Los Angeles, Calif., stepson Nate Thomass (Kim) of College Station, Texas. A funeral will be held Oct. 28 at 10 a.m. at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church in Grand Junction, Colo.