Darrell L. Peck

Darrell Leo Peck, 91, son of Lewis Leslie Peck and Florence (Westenskow) Peck, slipped out of his earthly existence on 13 March 2024 in Salt Lake City. Darrell was preceded by the death of his beloved wife, Dyann (Bloomquist) Peck, whom he cared for throughout her long decline from Alzheimer’s and who passed away seven years ago. The only thing he took to the rehabilitation center just before he died was her picture, which he put above his bed.

He loved people from all walks of life and spent his life as a social worker lifting people and helping those often ignored, emptied, and struggling with mental health challenges in the hard that life brings. He was a child of the depression and as such demanded that refrigerator doors were never opened long, that sodas were privilege, and that showerheads should provide only a small suggestion of powerful flow. He loved his family and was, for each of his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, someone who showed his love in a thousand ways. Darrell was an outdoorsman and loved to walk, hike, fish, hunt, and loved to travel and have adventures. As a young man, he rode the rails and traveled the country by cost-free train rides. A Korean War veteran, he lived in many places worldwide and traveled to even more places whenever the chance opened. He and his beloved wife were constant companions on these adventures, but even after she departed, he would be inclined to hop in his car and take off to Moab to visit buddies or drive down to Bears Ears to dance with his Native American friends.

He loved reading (including the morning paper), gardening, watching birds, eating exotic foods, watching football, walking, cooking (his specialty was a garlic-infused pot roast), and playing with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

He loved his brother, Glen, and his sisters, Jean and Annette, who preceded him into the great beyond. Annette was born with cerebral palsy, and she and Darrell were especially close. He said that caring for her when she was little helped him decide to become a social worker.

He had an uncanny ability to make friends wherever he went. He could not go anywhere without finding the good in people and making friends across the globe. His friendships were very important to him throughout life. So many come to mind, and to list them would demand many pages of lists to cover them all, but you know who you are, and thank you for making his life so rich and dynamic.

He is survived by his children (w/spouses) Steve (Lori), Russell (Cristy), Klint (Mary-Jo), Maureen Lawson (Jerry), and Zachery (Kathy) Peck; and 21 grandchildren and 29 great-grandchildren (all of who he loved so much).

He will be greatly missed.