Barbara Pannkuk Peck, 93, of Manhattan, Kansas, died January 30, 2023 at Good Shepherd Hospice in Manhattan.
Barbara Peck was born July 5, 1929 in Waterloo, Iowa, the daughter of Behrend George Pannkuk and Barbara Gretchen (Taylor) Pannkuk. She grew up in Minnesota and Iowa until 1946, when her family moved to Topeka, Kansas. She studied at Washburn University, transferred to Kansas State University, and attended until 1951, the year that she married Ernest George Peck in Topeka, Kansas. Ernie and Barbara moved first to Topeka, then to Silver Lake, Kansas, and re-located to Manhattan, Kansas in 1954. When her children, Norman, Laura and Eric were all attending school, Barbara returned to college, and earned her bachelor’s degree in microbiology in 1970. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ernest G. Peck in 2020, her brother, David Pannkuk in 2020, her mother, Gretchen Pannkuk in 2001, and her father, Ben Pannkuk in 1988.
Barbara was active in the community, serving at Manhattan Daycare Center, working as a Master Gardener, the Iris Society, with the historical society at Wolfe House, with Micah Society, Shepherd’s Crossing, and as a talented alto with the First United Methodist Choir, where she sang for over 35 years. She was a caretaker for Lucille Duff, Ernie’s aunt, her mother, Gretchen Pannkuk, and her husband, Ernest G. Peck. She loved all the cats that graced her household; Flop, Tammy, Psealy, Spooky, Hop Sing, Alexander, Titania, P.J., Kelpie, Silky, Espy, and Morse. Her garden was very important to her, but especially her iris.
Survivors include her sons, Norman David Peck of Ellensburg, WA., and Eric Campbell Peck, Manhattan, KS; her daughter, Laura Content Peck and her spouse, James E. Fulkerson of Manhattan, KS, her grandson, Eli Peck of Manhattan, and her granddaughter, Georgia Schaefer and her spouse, Kevin Schaefer of Topeka, KS and their daughters, Eva and Ivy; her nephews, Bery Pannkuk, (spouse Susie), Chris Pannkuk (spouse Molly), Jeff Pannkuk; her nieces Cyndi Gebremarian (spouse Emanuel), Carol Pannkuk, and Carrie Chase (spouse Mike), as well as numerous grand/great grand nephews and grand/great grand nieces, and cousins.
Barbara wanted her body to be cremated, and her funeral and celebration of life will tentatively occur in early May 2023. Inurnment will be at Pleasant Valley Cemetery next to her husband, Ernest. She requested that you support a charity of your choice as a memorial, if you wish.