Neal Gordon Peaco

LISBON – Neal Gordon Peaco, 92, died on Feb. 7, 2022, at The Lamp Memory Care Facility in Lisbon. His devoted wife, Cally, and his son, Tom were at his side.

Neal was born on July 28, 1929, in Auburn to Merrill and Sybil (Brewer) Peaco. He was predeceased by his parents; and his siblings Keith and Phyllis Peaco.

A lifelong resident of New Gloucester, Neal was a great family man and a loving father. He married Beatrice Marston in New Gloucester on his 21st birthday, July 28, 1950. The couple made their home in New Gloucester and had three children together. Bea preceded him in death on Nov. 6, 1982. He married his current wife, Carolyn “Cally” (Bennett) Peaco, on May 29, 1992.

Neal graduated from New Gloucester High School in 1948. He then served his country in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Germany for part of the time. Afterward, he had a long career as a sheet metal worker, working for the Hahnel Brothers Company in Lewiston and then for Pettingill and Ross in Portland and Westbrook.

As a teen and a young man, Neal enjoyed playing baseball, basketball and hunting. He played baseball for the New Gloucester town team, one of five Peaco cousins on the team. His love of deer hunting started in New Gloucester, and he greatly enjoyed an annual trip to hunting camp at Lake Moxie for over 50 years. He loved to play golf with family and was a member of the Gray-New Gloucester twilight league at Fairlawn golf course in Poland for 50 years. His hobbies also included fishing, horseshoes, whittling, dancing, and cribbage.

He was actively involved in local government for most of his life. He served on the New Gloucester board of Selectmen, the SAD 15 school board, as moderator of the New Gloucester town meeting, and was a volunteer fireman and coach of the Little League team. He was a candidate for the Maine State Legislature in 1992. He was a past master of the Masonic Lodge in New Gloucester, and past member of Sabbathday Lake Grange.

Neal is survived by his wife, Cally, of New Gloucester; his daughter, Cindy (Mike) Brakey of New Gloucester, his son, Dan (Lindley) Peaco of Portland, his son, Tom (Michelle) Peaco of Rockland; and his 10 grandchildren, Matt (Carolyn) Brakey of Novelty, Ohio, Sean (Vanessa) Brakey of San Francisco, Eric (Kaitlyn) Brakey of Auburn, Anna (Chadd) Cockrell of Brunswick, Capt. James Peaco of Colorado Springs, Colo., Stephen (Destiny) Brakey of Tonawanda, N.Y., Zach Peaco of Charlotte, N.C., Evan Peaco of Hawthorne, Calif., Joshua and Andrew Peaco of Rockland; and eight great-grandchildren. He is also survived by Cally’s children, Teri (Stefan) Karnopp of Intervale, N.H., Dan (Lori) Wiley of Westbrook, and their children and grandchildren; and by many nieces and nephews.

Graveside services for Neal will be held on Thursday, May 26 at 11 a.m. at Gracelawn Memorial Park, 980 Turner St., Auburn, followed by a gathering of family and friends at a location to be determined.

Arrangements by the Pinette Dillingham and Lynch Funeral Home, Lewiston. Online condolences and sharing of memories may be expressed at http://www.lynchbrothers.com.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made in Neal’s memory to the

Maine Veterans Home

c/o Activity Fund,

477 High St.,

South Paris, ME 04281 or

VAST, Veterans Adaptive Sports Training

c/o Director, Kristina Sabasteanski, Pineland Farms Outdoor Center

15 Farm View Dr.,

New Gloucester, ME 04260

or to a charity of

one’s choice.