Services in his honor will begin with a visitation between 1:30 & 2:30 pm, followed by the funeral starting at 2:30 pm, with Clay Fuqua presiding and Dale Sauls assisting. Each of these will be hosted at First Baptist Church of Blanchard. Interment will follow at Blanchard Memorial Garden. All services will occur on Friday, October 21, 2022.
Jim was born just a few miles from home in Shreveport to his proud parents James & Hughsie Peck, on Sunday, March 16, 1952. It was probably the first Sunday he’d missed church, as: he’d “Been going to church at First Baptist for nine months before he was born!” as he was famous for stating.
Jim grew up in the Piney-Woods of Blanchard, loving the outdoors, camping, and squirrel hunting. Indoors, he loved assembling model airplanes and reading. Jim graduated Northwood High School in 1970; he then went on to obtain his Bachelor’s of Science in Mechanical Engineering in 1974 from Louisiana Tech University, where he was a member of the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity.
The model planes fueled his imagination as Jim had a lifelong fascination with aviation. He obtained his pilot’s license, purchased his beloved Bonanza aircraft, and flew regularly. He later joined the Civil Air Patrol, rising to the rank of Captain, and the Experimental Aircraft Association, an experimental aircraft group that designed, built, and tested aircraft. Jim seldom missed the EAA AirVenture Oshkosh fly-in convention in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, attracting more than 600,000 people and 10,000 airplanes, each July.
Jim was the Manager of SWEPCO’s Central Maintenance Facility at Arsenal Hill in Shreveport, and completed his service with AEP-SWEPCO at Wilkes Power Plant in Avinger, Texas. He retired in 2016, having worked for AEP-SWEPCO for 42 years.
Jim was a member of FBC Blanchard for his entire life. He served an active leader of the church, serving as a deacon, Sunday School teacher, and chairing numerous committees throughout the years.
He raised his family in his own childhood home and was blessed to become the greatest grandfather on the planet indulging the kids with serious toys, to include dirt bikes. He and his two grandchildren enjoyed riding in the side-by-side, bulldozing new walking paths and riding trails, as well as the simpler things such as reading before bed. No doubt, he adored life, all his friends and family, but his true passions were those grandkids.
Preceding Mr. Peck in death were: father James Lovelace Peck, Sr.; mother Hughsie Bickham Peck; and daughter, Laurel Desha Peck.
He is survived by: wife, Cathryn Laurel Peck; son James Lovelace Peck, III; and daughter-in-law, Jennifer Russell. Also left to cherish the memory and carry on the legacy of their “Big Daddy” are his grandchildren: Evangeline Kate Peck and Jackson Liam Peck.
Additional family and friends, near and dear to Jim, that will miss him are: several cousins including Rex and Brenda McDonald, with whom he shared a special bond; and lifelong friends Keith & Peggy Milligan.
We are all going to miss him down here greatly, yet we know we will be reunited with him one day in Heaven.
