William Lloyd Peck

William L. Peck, 85, retired Judge of the Superior Court of Ventura County, died on October 31, 2017 in Ojai. A longtime Ventura civic leader, he moved to Ojai in 1998, a year before his retirement from 19 years on the Bench.

He was appointed by Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. in 1980 and served two terms as Presiding Judge.

Judge Peck’s broad civic resume includes serving as President of the Ventura Unified School District Board of Education in 1972, 1973 and 1977. During that time he survived a recall challenge following his support of desegregation and busing in Ventura schools.

He was also President of the County Bar Association, the County School Boards Association, and the Ventura Boys and Girls Club. His community service included membership on the boards of directors of the Ventura Chamber of Commerce, United Way, and El Concilio Del Condado de Ventura.

Judge Peck received the Petit Award for Outstanding Community Service from the Chamber of Commerce, and was named Citizen of the Year in 1983 by the Ventura Junior Chamber of Commerce.

A graduate of Carleton College in Minnesota, he took a night course in Business Law while working in the San Francisco office of Dunn and Bradstreet. Intrigued, he applied to Boalt Hall, the law school of the University of California, Berkeley, graduating in 1961.

He began his law career as a Deputy District Attorney in Ventura County in 1962. Besides his work as a Prosecutor, he represented the county clerk, county airports, most special districts and all school districts.

He became a partner in 1965 in the Law Firm of Loebl, Bringgold, and Peck, and in 1975 of Loebl, Bringgold, Peck and Parker.

After his retirement in 1999, Judge Peck was affiliated with JAMS (Judicial, Arbitration, and Mediation Service), and ADR services.

His interest in environmental concerns led him to join the Environmental Coalition as a charter member and treasurer, and later to support the Ojai Valley Defense Fund. He was a longtime member of the National Clocks and Watches Society, and was associated with Calavo and Sunkist as a citrus and avocado farmer in Santa Paula and Ojai.

Judge Peck is survived by his wife, Laura, and two stepchildren, Eric Oesterle and Adair Oesterle, and a sister-in-law, Judi Peck. He was preceded in death by his mother, Dorothy Peck, a longtime Ojai resident; his brother Charles, a commercial pilot; and Robert, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia.

A Celebration of Life is planned for Sunday, December 3, 2017 at noon in Ojai. Please contact Ms. Wendy Spasiano at 805-320-6150 or [email protected] for location and directions.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made in Bill's name to the Ojai Valley Museum or the Ventura county boys and girls club.

Arrangements under the direction of Ted Mayr Funeral Home, Ventura, CA.