Obituary: Charles Addison Peckham

FRIESLAND [Wisconsin] - Charles Addison Peckham, age 80, of Friesland, died Monday morning, November 27, 2000, at Columbus Community Hospital. Charles was born in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, on April 14, 1920, the son of David Ray and Clara (Fehrman) Peckham. He was a graduate of Madison Central High School. He attended UW-Madison for two years in physical medicine and later graduated from Madison Area Technical College with a major in accounting and office management, and a minor in data processing. Charles joined the U.S. Army in World War II and became a technical sergeant in the Medical Corps, and later was a volunteer for detached duty and was transferred to serve with the paratroopers and special forces. He was engaged in battles in North Africa, Sicily, Anzio, Salerno, Omaha Beach, the Battle of the Bulge and in Desert Storm. Charles was honorably discharged from the Army and held various accounting positions in the Madison area. He was a 17th ward alderman for the city of Madison from 1953 until 1955, was a justice of the peace, was foreman for Badger Ordinance Works, and in 1953 became general foreman for the Joliet Arsenal in Joliet, Illinois. In 1969 he was certified by IBM as a computer programmer and has worked as auditor for the State Medical Society of Wisconsin and as a senior auditor for Olin Industries' Badger Ordinance Works. While Charles was working as a custodian of Madison East High School in 1976, he was diagnosed with terminal cancer. After three years of treatment and in remission, Charles became involved in founding the state chapter Living With Cancer. In the years of 1980 until 1984, he became a registered master gardner through the UW-Extension division. Charles was a member of the Bricklayers Union (AFL-CIO) serving as secretary for their arbitration committee and in 1976 was president of Local No. 60 of Madison Municipal Works Union, past associate member of the National Archives in Washington, D.C., past commander of the Madison Chapter of Disabled American Veteran's Veterans, brigadier of the United States Veterans Assembly, legislative director for the Wisconsin Veteran's Council, and past president of the Allied Veteran Council of Dane County. On September 12, 1992, Charles was united in marriage to Lorraine E. Bobholz at Trinity Lutheran Church in Friesland. Together they made Friesland their home for the last eight years. Since his marriage, Charles was a member of John E. Miller American Legion Post No. 146 of Beaver Dam and a faithful member to Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Friesland. Survivors include his wife, Lorraine of Friesland; three sons, John, Stephen and David; a daughter, Ann; two grandsons; a granddaughter; a step-granddaughter; two sisters, Yvonne (James) Thompson of North Leeds, and Shirley Johnson of Reynoldsburg, Ohio; and many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Charles was preceded in death by his parents; four brothers; and four sisters. Memorial services will be held on Friday, December 1, 2000, at 11:00 a.m. from TRINITY EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH in Friesland, with Pastor John Unnasch officiating. Burial of cremains will follow in Friesland Cemetery. Family and friends may call on Friday from 9:30 a.m. until the time of services at TRINITY EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH in Friesland. Kratz-Smedema Funeral Home in Cambria is serving the family.

Originally published in the Wisconsin State Journal on November 30, 2000; submitted by Michael Vahldieck (Class of 1968)