Martha Peak

She was born on March 1, 1927, to Lee and Willie Belle Raley and grew up in Dallas. She was a graduate of Highland Park High School, Sullins Junior College and SMU.

Martha had a lifelong passion for the arts, particularly music. She began playing the piano as a small child and took up the violin at age 12. By the time she was in high school, she was giving piano lessons. At SMU, she earned a Bachelor of Music with majors in violin and piano and was inducted into the Pi Kappa Lamba honor society. She was an active member of the Chancel Choir at Highland Park Presbyterian Church for 67 years, finding in it her spiritual and social home. She has also sung in the HPPC Chamber Chorale and Dallas Civic Chorus and considered herself privileged to have participated in choral workshops and festivals conducted by Robert Shaw, John Rutter and Donald Knoen. Martha loved people and was a great champion of young musicians just starting their careers, going to great lengths to help and encourage them. She enriched many, many lives with her thoughtfulness, gracious hospitality and generosity.

Martha was very active in the community and belonged to many organizations, including Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority, Mu Phi Epsilon, the Dallas Woman’s Club, the Dallas County Club and the Dallas Petroleum Club. At the time of her death, she was serving on boards at the Dallas Opera, the Dallas Symphony, the Dallas Chamber Music Society and the Meadows School of the Arts.

Survivors include daughters Martha Rochelle and husband James A. Rochelle and Margaret Peak and granddaughters Katherine Rochelle and Rebecca Rochelle. Other survivors include her brothers Jack Raley and wife Lutetia and Bill Raley and wife JoAnn and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Martha was preceded in death by her daughter Mary Lee Peak in 2007 and her husband Preston A. Peak in 2014.

Visitation will be at Sparkman-Hillcrest Funeral Home on Thursday, No-vember 19, 2015, from 6 - 8 pm. A Memorial Service will be held at 1:00 pm on Friday, November 20, 2015, at Highland Park Presbyterian Church with Rev. Joseph B. Rightmyer officiating, and a reception will follow in Elliott Hall. Gifts in Martha’s memory may be made to the Music Department at Highland Park Presbyterian Church, 3821 University Blvd., Dallas, Texas 75205, or to the SMU Meadows Division of Music, P.O. Box 750402, Dallas, Texas 75275.