William Peck

Washington, Utah - William Howard Peck, 89 years old, passed away May 9, 2019 in St. George Utah. He was born August 31, 1929 in Youngstown, Ohio.  He married Donna Fae Davis in Phoenix, AZ on March 9, 1957.

Bill was raised in central AZ among the cactus he loved. At a very young age, Bill was on his own as his mother died when he was 3 years old and his father was often gone working the railroad. Bill served in the Korean War from 1951 to 1952 as a supply sergeant.  Bill was fascinated by mining, a life-long interest that took him and Donna to Mexican Hat, Utah and later to Bagdad, Arizona where Bill taught himself the ways of assaying ore samples in the mills. With only an eighth-grade education, Bill was famous for being able to estimate the radioactivity of the sample.

Bill and Donna settled down in Hillside, Arizona where they made a good living drilling water wells in the desert. Bill was very ingenious and built his first drilling rig from scraps he found lying around.  When their daughters were in their early teens, Bill’s family moved to Boulder, UT. About 1982, the National Park Service asked Bill to drill a water well at the soon to be built Dangling Rope Marina on Lake Powell.  He built a barge and floated his rig, camp trailer and truck up the Lake 40 miles to the location.  Many marveled at his ability to imagine, design and then dare to build things.

In 1984, Bill and Donna served in Ghana, Africa, for two years drilling wells for the Peace Corps.  This experience had a lasting effect on him. Over the span of his life, Bill built seven homes with only his labor and Donna’s help.  His most prized project was the Rock House built with local materials, utilizing solar power and water catchment systems.

Bill always loved the outdoors – fishing and hunting were his joy.  Donna and his family were always by his side in his outdoor adventures.  Bill liked to write, and he published several books all based on his life experiences, the most popular being “Dear Mr. and Mrs. Bill”, the story about their life in Ghana.

Bill is survived by his wife, Donna Fae Davis Peck; Barbara Fae Button (Taylor Button) of Washington, UT; Vickie Marie Peck (Reid Bandeen) of Placitas, New Mexico; six grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren. He was proceeded in death by his father and mother, William Ralph Peck and Ruth Virginia Macklin Peck; two sisters, Ruth Elizabeth Peck Compton and Genevieve Miriam Peck Wicks; several nephews and nieces, and one great granddaughter.

His earthly remains will be cremated by McMillan Mortuary, St George, UT, (435)688-8880, and the ashes scattered at his beloved Rock House in Arizona.  A memorial service will be held at the Rock House for those close friends and family who would like to attend Saturday, November 2, 2019.  Please RSVP to the family if you plan to attend.