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Dr. Eugene Peck
photo by Kathryn Doyle |
Dr. Eugene Peck was a Life-Member
of the California Genealogical Society, a beloved volunteer who donated time
and resources with much generosity for more than thirty-five years.
“Gene” grew up near Springfield,
Ohio. He attended medical school at Ohio State University and subsequently was
a well-known pediatrician at Kaiser in Oakland. Gene retired from medicine in
his sixties and enjoyed tending his roses; he had over 100 varieties in his
garden and he even volunteered for a time at the Horticultural Center in Golden
Gate Park. Gene also loved the arts.
Gene developed lifelong
friendships in our library. He enjoyed the camaraderie of the Library and
Manuscripts Committees. He came to the library every Thursday for many years
and one of his great pleasures was enjoying a cup of hot chocolate with his
friend, Anne Robinson.
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Dr. Eugene Peck & Anne Robinson
photo by Kathryn Doyle |
Fellow long-serving
volunteer, Dick Rees, tells us the following story about Gene and Gertrude Stein:
“During World War II,
Gene was stationed in Europe; when the war ended, he decided to stay on for a
while. He had sent a note to Gertrude Stein about something memorable she had
written, and Miss Stein not only replied, but invited Gene to visit her “when you
come to Paris.”
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| Gertrude Stein and Picasso's Portrait of her, 1922 | © Christine/Flickrcommons |
So one day, not too
long after receiving the invitation, Gene paid a call at the Stein/Toklas flat
in Paris. The first thing he noticed was that the hallway and other rooms were
lined with paintings, stacked along the baseboards, some facing out and some
facing the wall. Gertrude didn’t care much for art, but she did care for
artists and she bought their works in quantity!
Gene’s visit with
Gertrude was quite pleasant, with the exception of Alice B. who was sitting in
a dark corner of the salon. Every once in a while she would make some sarcastic
or cutting remark, addressed to Gertrude, but clearly designed to intimidate
Gene. He said, “She certainly didn’t want me there.”
As those of us who
were privileged to know him can state, Gene was not one to be easily
intimidated, and the visit passed without bodily harm to any one.”
Fellow
genealogists will miss Dr. Eugene Peck. Arlene Miles recalled that “his warm and
compassionate understanding of people were traits I noticed from the very first
time we met.” Under Gene’s guidance, Arlene took on the role of Periodicals
Manager while he moved on to our extensive Manuscripts collection, where he “dug
right in, reading, transcribing, and summarizing them so they could be made
available to the public.”
Pat
Bonderud, described Gene as “very gentlemanly, a kind man.” Gene was personable
and progressive, as well as an intellectual who especially enjoyed researching the Tooker family of Ohio.
No service is planned. He will be buried alongside his
grandmother, in South Charleston, Ohio, near Springfield.
Memorial
gifts in his name may be sent to the California Genealogical Society, 2201
Broadway, LLS, Oakland CA, 94612-3031.
Copyright © 2016 by California Genealogical Society
