Dr. Alice Tweed Peak

Alice Tweed Peak, known as Petie to her family and friends, passed away on April 25, 2011 in College Station, Texas after a long illness. Petie was born in Ray, Arizona on May 5, 1920. She attended the University of Arizona and then graduated from the University of Southern California Dental School in 1943, the only woman in a class of seventy-six students. After graduating, she practiced dentistry in Tucson before joining the Navy. Lt. Tweed was one of the first female dental officers commissioned in the WAVE’s. She was stationed in San Diego, where she treated men returning from combat zones who were hospitalized at the U.S. Naval Hospital. She was one of only two women dentists in the Navy during World War II. After being discharged from the Navy, she had an orthodontic practice in Merino, California.

Petie married in 1948 and moved to Austin. After her children were born, she practiced dentistry part-time with her husband Dr. Joe Peak. Petie was always busy with cooking, traveling, collecting antiques, volunteering her time, dancing, and gardening. She enjoyed her weekly bridge games, monthly birthday parties with gag gifts with “the birthday group,” and daily afternoon visits with her best friend Rachel over coffee. Another favorite pastime was spending time at Lake Buchanan, especially when the wildflowers were in bloom. She loved spending time with her children, grandchildren, and friends.

Petie was preceded in death by her husband, Joe Dayton Peak, her son, Jim Peak, and parents Dr. Charles H. Tweed and Elizabeth Raley Tweed of Tucson, Arizona.

She is survived by her children, Nancy Brady, and Susan Gillespie, grandchildren Gail Moncla, Cheryl Schneider, Derek Gillespie, Isaac Gillespie, and Joey Gillespie, five great-grandchildren, sisters Patricia Gould and Susan Underdown, as well as nieces, nephews and other relatives.

There will be a private family service. Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.

The family wishes to express special thanks to Rachel and Phil Wahlberg and Nebraska Alexander for their friendship, love, and support, Rosemary Lee and her family for their years of loving care, and Hospice Brazos Valley for their support and compassion.