Obituary of Charles James Peck

Charles J. Peck (78), of McGraw, New York, passed away peacefully at home on October 27, 2023, surrounded by his family. Known fondly as Charlie, or Spike by his four siblings, Charles was born to Floyd and Ruth Peck on March 17, 1945, in Cortland, New York. After graduating from high school, he started a family with his wife, Lanny, and continued the proud Peck tradition of dairy farming. After forty years in the industry, Charles decided to do something less strenuous, launching a second career as a heavy equipment operator for the Freetown Highway Department. Over the next twenty-plus years, he woke up at 3am all winter long to plow roads for his rural community. Only a dairy farmer would consider this less strenuous! Most importantly, it allowed him to spend more time with his family, the apple of his eye. Charles is survived by his wife, Lanashier, four children [Eric Peck of McGraw, Jerred (Jodi) Peck of Homer, Michele Peck (Jason Pacheco) of Wyoming, and Dannele Peck (Ben Rashford) of Wyoming], eleven grandchildren, and eleven great-grandchildren—all of whom he was so proud of. He was predeceased by his parents (Floyd and Ruth), his sister (Rosamond), and his beloved granddaughter (Lace). Despite the health challenges that Charles faced over the past two years due to multiple myeloma, he always maintained his quick wit, humor, and charm—to the delight of everyone fortunate enough to cross his path. He could strike up a conversation with anyone, accepted them as is, and made them laugh and feel at home—a kind and humble approach to life that we should all strive to emulate. He will be missed so deeply by the many people whose lives he enriched with his wisdom, faith, and generosity. The Peck family thanks the legions of dedicated and compassionate health professionals who made it possible for him to spend a few more precious years with us. We are especially grateful to those at the Renzi Center in Cortland, the Family Health Network of Central New York, and Hospicare, among others. The family will host a funeral service on Wednesday, November 1, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. at the Wright-Beard Funeral Home in Cortland, New York. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating in his honor to Guthrie Cancer Care Fund (guthrie.org/giving-guthrie), Hospicare (hospicare.org/donate), or the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (givenow.lls.org). To offer online condolences, please visit www.wright-beard.com