John R. Peacock

Obituary John R. Peacock, 91, of Fort Collins, CO, slipped the surly bonds of earth, put out his hand, and touched the face of God, on December 30, 2013. John Was born February 9, 1922, in South Bend, Indiana, to Edward L. Peacock and Eleanor Stephenson Peacock, the first of three children. The Peacock family moved to Hawaii in the mid 1920's, where he lived until moving to Fort Collins, CO, in 1990. The family's first home in Hawaii was located at the base of Diamond Head, where he swam and surfed countless hours in the ocean. He attended all 12 years of school and graduated from Punahou School where he excelled in athletics, lettering in 11 sports. In 1985 he was inducted into the Punahou Athletic Hall of Fame. John then attended Dartmouth College in New Hampshire on a football scholarship. This education was interrupted by the onset of World War II when he lied about having already learned to fly at the age of 9 years in order to join the Navy Air Corps. Three generations of Peacock's completed flight training at the U.S. Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida: Edward-WWI, John-WWII, and Robbie-Vietnam. He flew Grumman TBF and TBM aircraft and was a member of the first "night fighters," Torpedo Squadron Eight, attached to the U.S.S. Bunker Hill in the Pacific. For his bravery and service he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, five Air Medals, and a Presidential Unit Citation awarded to the CVE 16 class carrier. After the war, John pioneered air cargo service as Trans Air Hawaii with four DC-3's and three C46F's. This company split up, but eventually evolved into Aloha Airlines. He then managed Flowers of Hawaii, a company shipping Hawaiian flowers to all corners of the world. When that proved too tame, he went into ranching. Over the years he lived on and managed three cattle ranches on the Big Island of Hawaii. At the same time, he owned and operated a charter fishing operation in the Islands. He then joined a partner and together they formed Royal Hawaiian Air Service, an air taxi service between the Islands. When this company was sold, John became a broker in the commercial real estate business. John and Mona moved to the state of Colorado where for most of the remainder of his life he worked to establish commuter rail service. His parents preceded him in death, as did his son John Robert Peacock II, missing in action from Vietnam in 1972, two brothers Jerome and Richard and a nephew James. He is survived by his wife Mona, and nieces and nephew Sidsel Peacock, Knut Peacock, Nancy Peacock-Lyman, Linda Peacock, and Analise Peacock, and their spouses and families. Also very special friends Doug Behrens, KC Collins, Brook Collins, and Charlie Collins. John was truly a man of the earth, sea, and sky. He touched many lives. Contributions may be made to Punahou School in Honolulu or to the charity of your choice. Cremation has occurred and a private service held. Read More Services You can still show your support by sending flowers directly to the family, or by planting a memorial tree in the memory of John R. Peacock