Obituary of Ralph L Peek

Our Grandpa, Ralph Laurence Peek, was born on April 17, 1948.  He grew up on a dairy farm on a country road in Pulteney, NY.  He showed us how to work hard, be generous, and love our family.

Our Grandpa taught us that hard work pays off, for your wallet and your soul.  He put himself through college at Alfred State and the Rochester Institute of Technology.  Before age 30, he became a CPA partner at Brophy, Dailey, Bonn, and Peek.  He joined Wilson Enterprises and Hudson Hotels Corp, and served as the CFO of HHC LLC until his retirement. 

Grandpa really enjoyed competition.  He grew up playing basketball, and loved racquetball, golf, and running.  We’ve even heard stories of how he would run from his downtown office to his home in Penfield!  We are following in Grandpa’s footsteps with our athletics, and he always showed up to cheer us on, with the loudest whistle in the crowd.

Grandpa spent his life giving back to his community, family, and friends.  He was a Republican Party Committeeman, a member of the Lions Club, and assisted with the Volunteer Legal Services Project of Monroe County.  The town of Penfield was special to him.  He was a member of the Penfield Planning Board and served as the treasurer for the Penfield Education Foundation.  He was a member of the Penfield Country Club for almost 40 years!  He had a lot of friends there, and was always busy with them on Thursday nights.  Our favorite thing was riding in the golf cart with Grandpa, listening to his friends yell, “Hey Ralphie!”

Grandpa liked things his way, which meant a ChapStick in his pocket, a bottle of Poland Spring on the table, and sports on his giant TV.  He loved the Yankees, Bills, and Syracuse Basketball.  He believed in taking a 20-minute nap every day, just like his own dad did in the fields of their family farm.  Grandpa loved the sun, from the beaches of Barbados to the shores of Keuka Lake, or just on a walk through Rothfuss Park with his dog Louie.  And he sure loved preparing food his way, with corn on the cob that was soaked and grilled, cuts of meats that he marinated for hours, and always making sure he had plenty of Red Hot to “kick it up a notch!”  

Our Grandpa is missed by countless friends and family, like our Gigi (Tricia Peek), our Uncle Jeremy (Peek), our Uncle Mark (Anderson), our parents Kacey and Ben (Wilson), our Great Aunts and Uncles, Bill Peek, Donna and Bill Hatch, Wayne Stanek, Marty and Bud Hall, Phillip and Donna Peek, and so many loving aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins.

We are thankful that Grandpa taught us so many things.  Above all else, we will remember to be there for the ones that we love, and to always pick up the check.

“End of story.  Period.”

A Celebration of Life will be held in Ralph’s honor at a later date.  In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to one of the many local organizations that he supported: Penfield Volunteer Ambulance, Penfield Fire Company, The Shepherd Home, the Mary Cariola Center, or the Al Sigl Community of Agencies.

Co-written by Penelope and Phineas, age 7.