Joanne G Peckham

Joanne G. Peckham passed away on Wednesday, October 24, 2018 at the age of 86. Joanne was born December 6, 1931, to Harvey F. DeMyer and Mildred Hutchinson, in Boise. She lived in Treasure Valley her entire life. She was the second of eight children. She attended Central Elementary School and enjoyed the company of her growing number of siblings and many friends in the neighborhood. After graduating from Boise High School in 1951, she worked at Idaho Power Company in downtown Boise. She enjoyed bowling on the Idaho Power team. She and Mark “Bud” Peckham married June 26, 1954 and moved into a cozy house, built by Bud, out on Amity Road. Idaho Power bought their 40 acres, and they and their son, Roy, moved to a small acreage in Nampa, where they had a garden and some farm animals. Daughter, Carolann, was born in Nampa. Since Bud worked for the US Forest Service, the family lived at Cottonwood Ranger Station for a few summers, where Joanne was cook for all the college students who worked on The Forest in the summer. Then she enjoyed time with the kids and Bud for two summers at Troutdale Guard Station, then two more at Long Gulch Guard Station, then back to Cottonwood, where they spent their last summer in 1970. They moved to Boise, from Nampa, in 1961. While the kids were school age, she was involved in Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, PTA, and was Carnival Chairman at Cole Elementary School. Mark Jr. was born in 1968. She did day care at their home in Boise for many years. She really enjoyed taking care of children, making sure they did their homework, minded their manners, and learned new things. She took all the kids to pick fruit in Emmett, roller skating at Skate Land, and to the park. In 1976 the family moved out off of S. Cloverdale Rd in Meridian. After Mark was a little older, Joanne got a job driving the handicapped children to school and back home each day. She eventually became a teaching assistant with the handicapped children whom she adored. She loved teaching Meridian School District 4th graders about Idaho history each year at Rendezvous with Bud and young Mark. She did this for so many years, eventually her grandchildren joined in helping every year. Over the years, she enjoyed camping with Bud and the children, sewing, crocheting, and learning new skills to support her scouting endeavors and general home improvements. Some of the happiest times of her life were spent with her six grandchildren.

Joanne was preceded in death by her husband, Mark “Bud” Peckham; brother Harvey “Sonny” DeMyer; and sisters Margaret Stiles and Phyllis Peckham. She leaves to cherish her memory: brother, Charles DeMyer of Gresham OR; sister, Patricia Crenshaw of Gainesville FL; sister Karen Kupo of Glendale AZ; children, Roy Peckham of Priest Lake ID, Carolann Zografos of Meridian, Mark V. Peckham of Vallejo CA; son and daughters-in-laws, four grandchildren, two step-grandchildren, and many nieces, nephews.
A graveside service will be held at the Idaho State Veteran’s Cemetery in Boise, on Monday, November 26, at 3:00 pm.
Memorials are suggested to: Idaho Humane Society