Clayton LaVerne Peck interrupted his mothers bread baking to make his appearance into the world on April 10, 1931 at their family home near Kit Carson, Colorado. His parents were Charley & Mary Peck. He was baptized on June 5, 1931 in the Grace Evangelical Luthern Church. Clayton lost his courageous battle with cancer on July 4, 2008 at home with his family by his side.


After his birth, the family moved to Chivington, Colorado where Clayton attended the Chivington grade school. Because of rheumatic fever, he lost one year of school. He later moved to Eads to attend high school where he graduated in 1951. During his high school years he held class offices. All four years of high school included sports. His favorite teacher was Coach Simpson because he always gave one credit for trying. When Clayton was a senior he weighed all of 105 lbs. He told Coach Simpson he could not be on the front line of football because the opponents were too big. Coach Simpson replied, When he starts coming after you, jump to the side, stick out your foot, and you will trip him. When he played running back, he was the fastest running back Eads had. Of course there were only two running backs and the other one happened to be slower.


Many years were spent actively in 4-H at the local and State Fair level. His family raised a large watermelon patch. He would load watermelons up in the horse pulled wagon and bring them to town to sell for $.25 each. If he didnt get them all sold, Butch Woods would buy all that were left. He was saving one special prize watermelon to show at the fair by covering it with straw. However the boys from Brandon found it and you know the rest of the story.


He enlisted in the Navy in May, 1951. He was with the Air Marine First Division. His training was in San Francisco, California and then he went to welding school at Port Hueneme, California. He received a plaque for the best down handed welder in his class. The rest of his 4 years of service duty was spent overseas, first at PoHang-Dong, South Korea, then Adak, Alaska, then back to PoHang-Dong, South Korea, with the last 3 months of his 4 year stretch in Iwa Kima, Japan. His work was welding and working in the automotive shop. In Korea his job was helping rebuild the air bases that had been bombed. When his tour of duty was up, his unit was to go to YokaHoma, Japan to board a ship headed for U.S.A. He and one of his buddies didnt want to come back on a slow ship so they began visiting with the serviceman looking after the Air Force plane that was heading to the U.S.A. The two of them talked that serviceman into letting them on the plane. When they arrived in San Francisco on the plane, they were asked why they were on the plane instead of the ship. Rather than curtail their discharge, the two of them were discharged one month early, April, 1955. His medals included National Defense, Good Conduct, United Nations, and Korean Defense. Clayton was proud to serve his country the 4 years he did.


For those who fought for it

Life has a flavor the

Protected will never know


On March 15, 1953. during one of his furloughs, he was united in marriage to Gloria Blankenbaker, a Kit Carson cheerleader who he had had his eyes on for some time. To this union, two sons were born, Kim Eugene on February 20, 1956 and Kip Dee on September 8, 1959.


Upon being discharged from service, he worked for ranchers Ted Addington, Harry Owen, and Eddie Dunlap for 11 years before going to work for Colorado Interstate Gas Company in June, 1966. He started out as laborer, advanced to Heavy Equipment Operator in 1971, then to Temporary Engineering Inspector in 1973 & 1974. His supervisor wouldnt release him to be a Temporary Inspector in 1975; however in 1978 he became a Class I Inspector after only 2 years experience at being a Temporary Inspector. In 1981 he was advanced to Senior Inspector, which he held until his retirement. He covered 6 states and drove close to 1 million miles without an accident. He had many interesting locations but the roughest terrain was near Vernal, Utah and Wyoming, where pipe was laid over an 80 cliff. Although he did not have a book engineering degree, he had a common sense degree which proved to be beneficial more than once. He had excellent working relationships with contractors, some of whom still call him from time to time. He received at least 10 years or more of Safety Awards from the company. Even after his retirement in October, 1991, he was asked to go out on three more inspection projects.


After Clayton retired from CIG he loved to go to auctions, a trait he inherited from his Granddad Hart. Hed buy a box of junk and take it home to see if he got anything valuable. One of his prize purchases was a wind-up tin duck which was minus a wing & tail. He immediately made the missing parts and put it on display in the trophy case.


He was taught good work ethics, a trait he instilled in his two sons. Clayton learned at an early age to fix anything that was broken. Why buy new when you can fix the old. In his typing class he could not type a lick but he got a C because he kept all of the old typewriters repaired. He continued his fix-its all through life. He bought a new submergible water pump and within a year it quit. He went to the business and told them he wanted the warranty to fix it. He was told that warranties werent worth the paper they were written on, just throw it away and buy a new one. This irritated him, so he went home, tore the pump apart, bought a $.35 part, put it in, and it ran for over 20 more years.


Clayton gave unselfishly of his time to help others, young or old. During the polio years, he caught a greased pig at the County Fair for Doris Lessenden, who had polio and was unable to attempt to catch the pig. Having had many years of 4-H work, he in turn gave back by being a 4-H livestock leader for several years. He also worked as an officer, as well as other ways, with the summer baseball program while his sons were in baseball, and later when his grandchildren were playing ball. Being a member of The Eads Roping Club was one of his enjoyable pastimes as he was manager or assistant manager of the County Day Rodeo for several years. Clayton didnt get a lot of roping done himself because he was busy putting the calves in the chute for everyone else. He was also on the Board of Directors of the Chivington Grazing Association. Clayton was a regular blood donor for the Bonfil Blood Drive until his health no longer permitted his donation. He was a member of VFW and Elks Club. His hobbies included doing wood work, refinishing furniture, fixing anything he could get his hands on, and gardening. He thoroughly enjoyed sharing his garden produce with others.


He really enjoyed watching all his grandkids in their sports and other activities.

Clayton will be missed by many, including his beloved family. He is survived by sons, Kim Peck of Rifle and Kip (Dawna) Peck of Eads, grandson Justin Crow of Eads, granddaughters Kimbir Peck of Albuquerque, N.M., Klayci Peck of Amarillo, Texas, Koddi Peck of Las Cruces, N.M., Brittany (Gerad) McKnight of Arkansas, Braylynn Peck and Leisha Peck of Eads, great grandson Nathan McKnight, sister, Maxine (Lee) Blooding of Fort Collins, brother, Otis (Judy) Peck of Fort Collins, brother-in-law Jim Wimp of Coursegrove, California, sister-in-law Sharon Jackson of Colorado Springs, Colorado, along with nieces and nephews. Preceding him in death were his father and mother, Charley and Mary Peck, sister Irene Wimp, and brother-in-law Chuck Jackson.


Funeral services were held on Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at the United Methodist Church in Eads with Rev. Gary Goettel officiating. Claytons granddaughters Brittany and Leisha provided the prelude music. At the beginning of the service, Claytons granddaughter Klayci played On The Wings Of A Dove on her flute. Other musicians were Love Liebl and Charlotte Woelk with Sylvia Weeks and Mary Eikner serving as vocalists singing One Day At A Time, Suppertime and Dont Overlook Salvation. Serving as casketbearers were: Mike Weirich, Jeff Uhland, Rick Sarah, Harvey Shade, Wayne Wolff, Monte Richardson and John Negley. Honorary casketbearers were: Marvin Richardson, Tom Blanchard, Harry Ebaugh, Gale McRae, G.E. Millican, Todd Searle, Dick Day, Montie Price, Keith Uhland, Virgil Lessenden and all of his friends and those he worked with throughout the years. Final military graveside services were held at the Eads Cemetery in Eads, CO under the direction of the Kit Carson VFW Post #3411. Friends and family may register online condolences and sign the guest book at www.brownfuneraldirectors.com. Memorial contributions may be made to the Weisbrod Auxiliary or the United Methodist Church both in c/o Brown Funeral Home; Box 432; Eads, Colorado 81036 who was entrusted with Claytons funeral arrangements.