Obituary of Evelyn B. Peck
Evelyn Rose Breuninger Peck (“Evie”) died peacefully in her home in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania on September 1st, 2024 lovingly surrounded by family and friends, ending a gallant fight against cancer.
Evie was born October 7th, 1933, the daughter of Edward Adolf and Ida Elizabeth (Hanneman) Breuninger. Their family owned the Breuninger Dairies, a local business serving many. A graduate of Abington Friends School, Evie obtained a B.S. in biology from Ursinus College, Collegeville, Pennsylvania, in 1955.
She was then employed at The Institute for Cancer Research where she was a Research Assistant working in The Institute Animal Colony. She showed great expertise when caring for the animals and was a brilliant asset to her colleagues at the Institute. It was there that she met Dr. Richard Merle Peck (“Dick”). They were married on December 28, 1963, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Both Dick and Evie loved to travel. They spent a memorable and happy visit traversing Australia with a dear friend, one of several such lengthy international trips, which included much of Europe, New Zealand, China, South Africa, and Israel, among many other highlights.
When Evie’s father, Edward Adolf Breuninger died in (1977), Evie and Dick went to stay one evening with her newly-widowed mother. During the evening, an armed burglar entered the house and shot both Evie and Dick. Fortunately, both victims survived from their gunshot injuries, and Evie’s bravery in challenging the intruder was key to their survival. This incident is just one of many that illustrates her indomitable fighting spirit.
Evie was an excellent competitive tennis player, #1 in singles in U.S.T.A (United States Tennis Association), Middle States Section, PATD District, for many years. Her love of tennis and the outdoors kept her active, and she played tennis right up until her diagnosis in March 2024! She traveled extensively for tennis tournaments and made many dear friendships through this sport that lasted her lifetime. She was also an avid supporter of baseball from her childhood on, cheering the Philadelphia “A’s” and then her beloved Phillies. In fact, on September 1st this year, she took the opportunity to use her famous, nearly supernatural influence one last time to lead us to an exciting 11th inning walk-off victory. If the Phillies win the World Series this year, we will all know who to thank.
As a senior member of the Philadelphia Watercolor Society (PWCS) and member of the Florida Suncoast Watercolor Society, Evie won many prizes for her paintings. Her prolific work is proudly hung in galleries, businesses, and other places special to her heart, as well as in the homes of many family and friends. In recent years, she also derived joy by sharing her love of painting with others as a private instructor.
Another of Evie’s many passions was gardening. She was known to stop by friends and strangers' homes to co-opt their sunny garden patches, turning them into bountiful plots out of which she generously gave to friends and family. It was in her gardens that she made many tiny friends such as swallowtail butterflies, which she raised from eggs to caterpillars to butterflies each year. She was well known for bringing to others her beautiful home-grown flowers, delicious home-baked goods, and produce, especially her beautiful passion flowers and wild roses.
On retirement, Evie spent the majority of her time in Sarasota, Florida where she continued to play competitive tennis, in addition to painting watercolors of her Floridian surroundings. She returned each summer to the Philadelphia area, where she enjoyed spending time with loved ones, playing tennis matches, attending Phillies games, gardening, cooking weekly dinners with family, and her annual trip to Mohonk Mountain House, a place very special to her heart. Evie was able to make her final trip up to Mohonk shortly before her passing, enjoying peaceful moments in nature with family and friends, many of whom traveled a distance to spend this special time with her.
Dick died January 2nd, 2012, in Sarasota Florida, after 48 wonderful years of marriage to Evie. Their marriage was an excellent example of a loving and equal partnership which inspired generations. Evie also remained close to her brother, Edward Alfred Breuninger, until his death in 2020. She was predeceased by both of her parents, her step-daughter, Megan Peck, her sister Jean Breuninger Straub, and nephew, Edward Allen Breuninger.
While Evie and Dick did not have children, they shared step-children from Dick’s previous marriage: step-daughter, Heidi Nuessle-Shane (John), step-son, Robert (Deb), step-daughter Megan Peck (deceased), and grandchildren: Jennifer (Jon) Yamamoto, Susan, Rebecca, Samuel (Kora), Emma, Gayle Leigh, Allie, Robert, and great-grandchildren: Skyler, Jon Jon, Sadie, Lucas, Clara, Felix, and Asher. She treated them all with great love and care. Evie was also survived by her beloved nephew Edward “Sandy” Straub Jr., and his partner Luis Resola; nieces Janet (Lawrence) Karasz, Victoria Straub Doyle, and Harriet Breuninger, as well as a niece and two nephews on the Peck side, and all of their children and grandchildren.
Evie loved to share all of her interests and passions, generously and patiently sharing her time, wisdom, and expertise with anyone who wanted to learn. Her grandchildren and great grandchildren have been blessed to have had hours of her time learning to garden, cook, entertain, paint and play tennis. She was a dear friend and grandmother and delightful, gifted, and loving person to many and we will all miss her greatly.
A celebration of life is being planned for the near future, and in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Fox Chase Cancer Center https://www.foxchase.org/giving.