Joseph Randall Peacock

Randall was born in Plainfield, Georgia to Augustus Theodore and Ella (Livingston) Peacock on June 30, 1937. He completed high school in Chadbourn, NC and went on to attend East Carolina College (ECC, now ECU) and later UNC-CH where he earned a master’s in social work. On April 13, 1963 Randall married Jane Vaughn in Bel Air, Maryland.

Throughout his busy life, Randall always worked to serve others. While serving in the Army in Berlin, he was stationed to the Chaplain’s Office and worked with refugee children from WWII. He worked for Forsythe County Department of Social Services and then served as the Director of Social Services for Yancey County where he pioneered the Festival of Friendship, fought the state for his clients (and won) and found endless ways to engage and empower others. Later, he joined the Air Force as a clinical social worker and was stationed around the world, including the Philippines and England. During his service, he found unique ways to best support the servicemen and families in ways that were completely natural and intuitive to him. One of his biggest career achievements was his founding of Girls Haven in Burnsville, NC. This endeavor was later joined with his brother’s Boys Home and is now known as the Boys and Girls Home of North Carolina in Columbus County.

After retiring from the Air Force, Randall worked in home health in Aurora, NC and then Johnston County. He also became very involved in Able to Serve, Meals on Wheels, Habitat for Humanity and an innumerable other service activities in the Clayton area. It was during this time that Randall began to hone his woodworking skills and found great happiness in piddling about his yard and making the house one that was his for the longest period in his life.

With all Randall achieved in his work, by far, his proudest successes were his family. As the youngest of ten children, he was the one the others called upon when they needed support, advice and direction. And he was always there. Likewise, and more so, Randall was a devoted husband and father to his three girls. Together with Jane, they put their hearts and souls into their girls and all their grandchildren who followed. It would be his greatest legacy for Randall to know that for generations to come his dedication, genuineness and his selflessness will be engrained in all who were fortunate to know him.

Randall is preceded in death by his parents; his brothers, Audrey (A.D.), Bob and Danny; and, his sisters, Dot and Carolyn. As the baby of the Peacock brood, Randall’s family is comforted to know that he is at peace with his Lord and is once again with his Momma.

Randall is survived by his loyal wife of 56 years, Jane; his daughters, Julie (Richard Brown), Tanya (John Roberts) and Rhonda (Joe Fuccello); and his engaging grandchildren Adam and Luke Hinton, Joshua and Nathaniel Roberts, and Lindsey, Anna and Sarah Fuccello.

Having worked as a student at Dorthea Dix Hospital in the early 1960s, this quote by Dorthea Dix best sums up Randall’s life as a social worker, husband, Dad and Poppy: “What greater bliss than to look back on days spent in usefulness, in doing good to those around us”.

Memorials may be made to either Able to Serve (PO Box 334, Garner, NC 27529-0334) or Boys and Girls Home of North Carolina (PO Box 127, Lake Waccamaw, NC 28450-0127). Visitation and a celebration of his life will be held at Randall and Jane’s home on Sunday, June 30 at 2 PM.