Gary Leo Peck

Gary Leo Peck, age 88, passed away peacefully on his birthday June 29th at his home, surrounded by his loving family. He was born at his childhood home in Salt Lake City on June 29, 1931 to Rulon Vern and Dora Simmons Peck. He married Janet Rae Cone, commonly known as Mike, on April 8, 1954. They were married for 65 years last April.

Gary attended the University of Utah on a golf scholarship and was a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity. He was graduated from the University of Utah in 1955 after completing the Air Force ROTC program and entered the Air Force as Second Lieutenant Peck. His twenty year career in the Air Force took him to numerous places throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia. He also served in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. After retiring from the Air Force in 1975, he became a sales representative and sold golf equipment for one of Arnold Palmer’s companies. He eventually left that job and took on full retirement in the early 1990s.

Gary excelled in many sports, but his passion was golf. He lived down the street from Forest Dale Golf Course, which at the time was the Salt Lake Country Club. At the age of nine, he started riding his bike down to the golf course where he worked as a caddy. From then on, he didn’t give up on golf until the last few months of his life. He made four holes-in-one throughout his lifetime.

Although not as avid a bowler as golfer, he was a member of many bowling leagues throughout his lifetime, men’s leagues, as well as mixed leagues with his wife and son. As a Super Senior, he qualified for the national tournaments in Reno, Nevada on several occasions.

Gary leaves behind his wife Janet Peck, daughter Sherri Takahashi, son Thomas Peck, and his faithful four-legged companion Chi. He also leaves behind four grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. He is survived by his sister Nadene Stone. His brother Alan Simmons Peck also died on June 29, 2019. He was preceded in death by his brother Richard Peck.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, July 5, 2019 from 7:00 to 9:00 pm at Starks Funeral Parlor, 3651 South 900 East, Salt Lake City. Guests are encouraged to use the complimentary valet parking on the north side of the building.

In lieu of flowers, please play a round of golf.