Odus Edgar Peck Drennan, Jr.

It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Odus Edgar “Peck” Drennan (Columbia, South Carolina) who passed away on December 9, 2024, at the age of 90.  We will miss his optimism and affability.

Peck was born on New Year’s Day in 1934 in Conroe, Texas.  He was the son of Odus Edgar Drennan and Ruby (Flynn) Drennan who left party guests at their home as they rushed to the hospital for his delivery.

Peck was delighted when his sister, Judy, was born five and half years later.  The two enjoyed many summers at Camp Warnecke in New Braunfels, Texas swimming in the river, training Judy's Shetland pony, and riding horseback together.  Peck, his dog Mister, and his buddy Mickey Timmons spent many enjoyable hours exploring and building underground forts in the backwoods of Texas.

He graduated from Conroe High School and attended the School of Architecture at Rice University in Houston, Texas where he founded a supper club and became renowned for his pranks and hijinks.  During the summers he worked as a roustabout in the Texas oil fields.

Peck served several years in the US Army ROTC Engineer Corp attaining the rank of second Lieutenant.  Upon completing his service and after graduating from Rice with a Bachelors of Science in Architecture in 1956, he began a sixty-five year career in architecture. As an architect, he designed hospitals, schools, banks, churches, office buildings, clean rooms for NASA, subway stations, houses, and even an island resort for the prime minister of Fiji.

Peck was a founding partner of McKittrick, Drennan, Richardson, and Wallace, an award winning architecture firm in Houston.  In 1979, he founded his own firm and later worked for Stull and Lee Architects in Boston, Massachusetts and led architecture practices in San Rafael, California and Columbia, South Carolina.  Peck served as the president of the Houston chapter of the AIA and many other service organizations.  Architecture was a life-long passion and essential part of Peck's creative expression.  He aspired to design spaces that opened minds and lifted spirits.  His work is a legacy to be enjoyed for many years to come.

Peck and Carole Jean Hobbs were married in 1965 in Houston, Texas.  They had two children, Kevin Peck Drennan in 1967 and Michael Friddle Drennan in 1969.  There were family vacations to the beach, camping in the Colorado Rockies, rides in the Goodyear Blimp and white water rafting.  Peck and Carole divorced in 1980.

Peck and Sherry Booth, also an architect, dated in 1983 and were married for fourteen years. They lived in Houston, Boston, and the San Francisco Bay Area.

Peck met and fell in love with Rebecca Herrero in San Rafael, California and they were married in 2009.  Peck was so grateful for the years of love and care he had with Rebecca.

In 2010, Peck and Rebecca moved to Columbia, South Carolina, where Peck's son Michael lives with his husband and twin daughters.  He loved teaching his granddaughters to cook gourmet meals and to draw.

Peck has been a member of the Unitarian Universalist Church for 60 years and was an active member of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Columbia where he designed a master plan for the remodeling of the church.

Peck is survived by his wife of fourteen years, Rebecca Reed Drennan, his sons, Kevin Peck Drennan and Michael Friddle Drennan, his son-in-law, Matt Kisner, his granddaughters, Lucy and Grace Kisner-Drennan, and his sister Judy Satterfield.

A memorial service will be held on Sunday, January 19, 2025, at 3pm at Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 2701 Heyward St, Columbia, SC 29205.

Donations in honor of Peck may be made to the “Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Columbia” for the Building and Grounds Fund.

South Carolina Cremation Society is assisting the family. Family and friends may sign the online guest book by clicking on the “Tribute Wall” tab above.