Kenneth Lawrence Peate

He is survived by his son Jason Peate and his wife Ronda, and their children Elizabeth and Matthew; his daughter Corissa and her husband Ben, and their children Olivia, Gwyneth, Greyson and Willow; niece Deb, and her son Brandon; nephew Rich; and his best friend and longtime love Leslie Peate.

Ken was born in Bridgeport, Conn., to Wallace and Kathleen Peate who preceded him in death, along with his older brother Tom.

A defining and proud part of his life was his service in the Army during the Vietnam War.

Following his return to civilian life, he moved to Stoddard, N.H. with his family, where he worked as a mechanic, for which he was routinely honored for his skill and expertise. With his family and friends he rode snowmobiles and cruised the lake in his pontoon boat. He also enjoyed his time as a volunteer firefighter there.

He was an active member of the Vietnam Veterans Motorcycle Club and served as the New Hampshire and then as the North Carolina state president. After retirement, he and Leslie moved to North Carolina, first to Fayetteville, and then Wilmington, to be closer to the beach and year-round riding weather.

Ken was humorous and fun loving. He lived out loud, riding his motorcycle, having adventures with his club brothers - who he loved like family - and was known to enjoy a good glass of tequila. But most of all he adored his family. He was terribly proud of his children, and loved and prized his grandchildren more than anything else in the world.

In the days since his passing the family has been met with an avalanche of sympathy. Everyone who has reached out, has remarked on his incredible generosity and love for everyone he met.

He will remain in our hearts.

A Celebration of Life with Military Honors will be held from 1:00PM to 4:00PM Saturday, September 19, 2026, at American Legion Post 129 on Bridge Barrier Road, Carolina Beach, NC 28428.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to stopsoldiersuicide.org.