07/30/2021
Sue Ann Peckham, 83 of Leavenworth KS died unexpectedly Tuesday, July 27 2021 at her residence.
Sue was born June 15, 1938 in Kansas City Mo to Clarence and Edith (Schickhardt) Masters. She grew up in Kansas City, attending Paseo High School and then Kansas City University (now UMKC). There she met the love of her Life Jay Peckham. They were married on Friday, February 13, 1959, and celebrated every Friday the 13th as their special day.
They spent the next two years on the Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation in North Dakota while Jay served a tour in the US Public Health Service. After that they lived in Raytown MO, and Hiawatha KS, before buying and opening Peckham Pharmacy in Frankfort KS, where Sue helped run the store.
While in Frankfort, Sue served several years as the Choir Director at Frankfort United Methodist Church, as well as the church board, and later on the board of directors for the Kaw Valley Girl Scouts, Frankfort Community Care Home, and Twin Valley Development Services (a disabled persons center based in nearby Greenleaf KS. Sue would also co-found and edit the Frankfort Area News, and finally earned an Education degree at Kansas State University.
Sue also joined Epsilon Sigma Alpha, a service sorority, and remained a member the rest of her life, a total of 55 years. With ESA she served on the Kansas State Council and on the board of ESA Foundation.
Following the closing of the Pharmacy, Sue worked for several years at Pizza Hut in Marysville KS. During this time she began to indulge her love of singing by joining Sweet Adelines, the womens’ barbershop organization and sang with a couple of choruses for nearly 30 years.
After Jay’s death, Sue moved to Leavenworth, where her son Jef was employed, and promptly joined the church choir at First United Methodist Church, where she stayed the rest of her life.
Sue was an avid bowler and participated in local bowling leagues wherever she lived, and participated in many area and national tournaments.
Sue is survived by her son Jef of Leavenworth, and a brother Richard Masters and his family of Las Vegas NV. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Jay Peckham, and her daughter Kai Foor.
Sue requests that donations be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, the Jay Peckham Pharmacy Scholarship Fund (through ESA Foundation), Shriner’s Hospital, or First United Methodist Church.
A visitation will be Tuesday, August 3, 2021 from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Belden Larkin Funeral Home. A funeral service will be Wednesday, August 4, 2021 at 10:00 am at the First United Methodist Church, with Pastor Dave York, officiating. Burial will follow at Sunset Cemetery in Manhattan, Kansas.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Belden Larkin Funeral Home.
