Charles E. Peek, 81, of Bluffton, formerly of Delphi passed away at 3:05 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 26, 2010, at Bluffton Regional Medical Center.

Born Sept. 7, 1928, in Millersburg, Ohio, he was the son of Penn C. and Florence King Peek. His family moved to Bluffton in 1933. On July 1, 1950, at the Markle Methodist Church, he married Carolyn Sue Line, who survives.

Mr. Peek graduated from Popular Grove School in 1943 and from Bluffton High School in 1946. He played football, basketball and softball.

He was employed at the Wells County Game Farm, now Quabache State Park, while in high school. After graduation he worked at Heller Stone Quarry, Ira Smuts Construction of Zanesville, and later drove a Standard Oil tank truck in the Markle area.

Mr. Peek worked for Majenica Telephone Company in 1960, then was transferred to Delphi in 1971 where he worked until his retirement in 1989 from Alltel Indiana Inc.

While working for the telephone company he did volunteer work, mostly for the Indiana Telephone Association (ITA). He served as president of District 3, worked three years on ITA’s convention committee serving as president, vice-president and secretary for seven years. During this time, he was named Honorary Secretary of State in 1986 by Edwin J. Simcox for his devoted service.

Mr. Peek was a member of Bluffton Masonic Lodge #145 for 54 years and the Scottish Rite of Fort Wayne.

He resided in North Fort Myers, Fla., for 13 years. While there he belonged to the Shrine Temple serving as a volunteer, transporting crippled children to the Shriner’s Hospital in Tampa for a period of five years.

Mr. Peek was a life member of the Elks and Moose lodges. He was a volunteer at Bluffton Regional Medical Center for a short time after returning to Bluffton.

He also attended the First Church of Christ in Bluffton.

Mr. Peek enjoyed hunting, fishing and playing golf. He was lucky enough to have made five holes-in-one and one eagle.

Surviving with his wife are a son, Charles “Mike” Peek (wife: Debbie Allred) of Fort Wayne; two granddaughters, Jennifer Pfeifer (husband: Matt) of Illinois and Lori Meienburg (husband: Tim) of Ohio; and five great-grandchildren, Clay, Conner, and Raegan Pfeifer and Brody and Lucas Meienburg.

Services were held Sunday at Thoma/Rich, Chaney & Lemler Funeral Home in Bluffton. Pastor Larry Sprinkle officiated. Entombment followed at the mausoleum at Markle Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to the First Church of Christ in Bluffton or Family Hospice and Palliative Care.

Online condolences can be sent to thomarich.com.