Mildred Jane (Keller) PECK

KELLER, PECK, NYE, MULLIN, SAENZ

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 2/10/2024 at 13:06:48

October 6, 1937 --- August 5, 2017

Mildred Jane Peck, 79, died Aug. 15, 2017, after an extended illness. At her request, there will be no formal funeral. A memorial picnic will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 19, at the upper pavilion in Daniels Park, Cedar Rapids. A graveside service will be held at Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery at 1 p.m. Monday, Aug. 21.

Mildred Jane Keller was born in a farm home, rural Wall Lake, Iowa (near Blairsburg), on Oct. 6, 1937, to Oscar and Mildred (Nye) Keller. She grew up on a farm near Clarion, Iowa, and graduated in 1955 from Clarion High School where she belonged to the Girls Athletic Association, won her way to All Iowa Chorus in a sextet and was active in singing.

Mildred moved to Cedar Rapids and was a longtime resident. She married Leonard Peck of Cedar Rapids on Dec. 28, 1956. She spent her career in the following businesses: Pioneer Seed Co., Hawkeye Lumber and Mill Co./Glenbrook Cove/Barry Actuary, Graphic Communicator Products, CRST, Linn County Motor Vehicle, Great Plains Gas, Rockwell Collins, Manpower and Marion Mixers.

She was a former member of Ellis Park Church of God, American Legion Post 298, Linn County Blues Society and Women of the Church of God. Mildred was a great cook and enjoyed playing bingo and listening to the radio. She played the piano for many years, both reading music and playing by ear. She was excellent at celebrating Christmas and sent hundreds of Christmas cards for several decades to even distant cousins and high school classmates. Mildred was proud to be a third cousin of Helen Keller, a relative of John Brown and Robert E. Lee, and a descendant of Benjamin Nye, whose home is preserved in Sandwich, Mass.

Mildred is survived by her children, Scott (Terri) Mullin, Joan (Marjorie) Peck and John (Jolene) Peck; brothers, Glenn and Floyd (Norma) Keller; grandchildren, Jessica Peck, Jacob Peck, Scott J. Mullin and Shannon Saenz; great-grandchildren, Sapphire Mullin, Naomi Mullin, Scott Mullin, Skylar Saenz and Ezra Saenz; many nieces, nephews and cousins; and special friends, Angel Reyna Fisher of Ames and Bob DeForest of Cedar Rapids. Mildred was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Leonard Peck; a son, James Peck; and special friend, Marion Gardner of Grimes.

August 18, 2017
The Gazette -- Cedar Rapids, Iowa