Gene Ralph Peckham, 87, a proud South Dakota native, of Provo, Utah passed away 10-6-08.

Memorial service will be held at Bethesda Lutheran Church on Sat., June 27, 2009 at 10:00 am. Inurnment will be in the Bristol Cemetery.

Gene was born and raised in the Bristol, SD area. He was one of 8 children born to Marie and Tom Peckham who farmed in that area for many years. He attended and graduated from Bristol school. His attendance at South Dakota school of Mines was interrupted by WWII, in which he served honorably as a radioman in the US Navy. He then completed his engineering degree from the School of Mines and Technology in 1950. He went on to hard rock mine engineering, changing over to civil engineering in the late 1950's.

He married Rilla Hanson in 1945 and they had four children, Mimi, Thomas, Audrey and Ronald. The early years were spent in the Black Hills. After living in South Dakota, Arizona, and Colorado, he settled in Utah where he has resided for over 50 years.

He retired after 30 years with the Federal Bureau of Reclamation. Gene loved his family, gardening, traveling and reading.

He is survived by his wife, Rita who lives in Provo with her daughter, Connie, his four children, Mimi Beck from California and Tom Peckham from California, Audrey Karinen from South Dakota and Ron Peckham from New York, siblings Percy Peckham and Hazel Day of Arizona, and Ruth Ronning of Nebraska. He has 8 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren and a large extended family who will miss his wit, conversations, and honorable character.

Family and Friends are invited to gather at the Bristol home of Hazel Day. In lieu of flowers a contribution to either St Mark's Lutheran Church in Provo, Utah or Bethesda Lutheran Church in Bristol South Dakota would be appreciated.

Coester Funeral Home of Webster is entrusted with the arrangements. www.coesterfuneralhome.net)