Obituary for Kent Ray Peeples
Kent Ray Peeples, 83, of Canyon and Amarillo passed away on Thursday, February 29, 2024. Memorial services will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 7th at Brooks Chapel with Rev. Rick Enns, pastor of First Methodist Church of Canyon, officiating. Following the service, a celebration reception will be held at The Shell, 1519 4th Ave. in Canyon, at 4:00 p.m. We hope to see you there.
There’s a saying that goes, “We all leave footprints as we journey through life. Make sure yours are worth following.” For 83 years, Kent left an enduring footprint on the lives of so many with his kindness, humor, fortitude, and love.
Eighty-three years and one month ago, Kent Peeples started making his footprints on this world at an early age. Born to Ray and Hellen Peeples in Wellington, TX, Kent was given a great deal of responsibility at an early age. This instilled in him a strong work ethic that he maintained throughout his life. Kent worked alongside his father farming, ranching, and working at his dad’s custom harvesting business. Some of his fondest memories were from those long, hot summers spent harvesting with his family in Texas straight up to North Dakota, places where life-long friendships were made. At the ripe old age of 14, Kent drove by himself from Wellington, Tx. to Nebraska to help with one of his father’s many jobs. When not working, Kent loved spending time with his granddad at his farm – land that Kent held onto and has been in the family for over 100 years. Kent also loved playing football, hunting, listening to his collection of ‘45s and spending time with his mom and dad and many friends. And he LOVED to dance. Boy could he dance. As a high school sophomore, his footprints won the Wellington High School talent show dancing to Elvis Presley. Kent was confident, good-looking, witty, and charming (some might have even said a bit cocky.)
After high school, he entered the military and served as an MP in the Army. When he returned, he began dating a beautiful girl by the name of Elaine Crawley, someone he’d known most of his life. Elaine left her own footprints on Kent’s heart. She was his match in every way, and he loved her for the span of her life. In his words, “every day was a wonderland.”
On June 7, 1963, this beautiful couple married and a son, D’Ray, was born the very next year. Four years later, their daughter, D’Layne, was born.
Kent graduated from West Texas State University. Thereafter, he started a long, successful career in the trucking business. A natural born salesman, he was smart, thorough, charismatic and a great people person. Kent leased and sold the International product line for 29 years and worked for Ryder Truck Leasing for 18 years. In 1984, there were an estimated 600 salespeople working for Ryder around the world. Kent was one of only 11 salespeople worldwide to be inducted into the Ryder Round Table.
Kent had a life-long passion for hunting, a passion he passed on to his son and granddaughter, Tatum. He and Elaine loved to dance and entertain and threw the most memorable, fun parties. He was the ultimate cocktail dad! He made his biggest mark in life, however, with his abundant generosity, kindness, quick wit, and immense love of family. Blessed with four granddaughters and a great granddaughter, he made it his priority to make a lasting, loving footprint in their lives. It was his greatest wish that they remember him with all the love and fondness that he had for his own grandfather.
Kent was preceded in death by his mother, Hellen Peeples, his father Ray Peeples, his wife, Elaine, and by his two younger sisters, Kaye Henderson and Gayle Hambey. He is survived by his son, D’Ray Peeples and significant other, Lisa Carr, his daughter, D’Layne Carter and husband Mike Carter, grandchildren Berkley Peeples, Tatum Burdis, Abbey Carter, Molly Carter, great-grandchild, Kinley Hucks, sister-in-law Nancy Russell, and numerous nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Elaine Peeples Women’s Leadership
Scholarship at West Texas A&M University or to the Schriner’s Hospital.
There’s a saying that goes, “We all leave footprints as we journey through life. Make sure yours are worth following.” For 83 years, Kent left an enduring footprint on the lives of so many with his kindness, humor, fortitude, and love.
Eighty-three years and one month ago, Kent Peeples started making his footprints on this world at an early age. Born to Ray and Hellen Peeples in Wellington, TX, Kent was given a great deal of responsibility at an early age. This instilled in him a strong work ethic that he maintained throughout his life. Kent worked alongside his father farming, ranching, and working at his dad’s custom harvesting business. Some of his fondest memories were from those long, hot summers spent harvesting with his family in Texas straight up to North Dakota, places where life-long friendships were made. At the ripe old age of 14, Kent drove by himself from Wellington, Tx. to Nebraska to help with one of his father’s many jobs. When not working, Kent loved spending time with his granddad at his farm – land that Kent held onto and has been in the family for over 100 years. Kent also loved playing football, hunting, listening to his collection of ‘45s and spending time with his mom and dad and many friends. And he LOVED to dance. Boy could he dance. As a high school sophomore, his footprints won the Wellington High School talent show dancing to Elvis Presley. Kent was confident, good-looking, witty, and charming (some might have even said a bit cocky.)
After high school, he entered the military and served as an MP in the Army. When he returned, he began dating a beautiful girl by the name of Elaine Crawley, someone he’d known most of his life. Elaine left her own footprints on Kent’s heart. She was his match in every way, and he loved her for the span of her life. In his words, “every day was a wonderland.”
On June 7, 1963, this beautiful couple married and a son, D’Ray, was born the very next year. Four years later, their daughter, D’Layne, was born.
Kent graduated from West Texas State University. Thereafter, he started a long, successful career in the trucking business. A natural born salesman, he was smart, thorough, charismatic and a great people person. Kent leased and sold the International product line for 29 years and worked for Ryder Truck Leasing for 18 years. In 1984, there were an estimated 600 salespeople working for Ryder around the world. Kent was one of only 11 salespeople worldwide to be inducted into the Ryder Round Table.
Kent had a life-long passion for hunting, a passion he passed on to his son and granddaughter, Tatum. He and Elaine loved to dance and entertain and threw the most memorable, fun parties. He was the ultimate cocktail dad! He made his biggest mark in life, however, with his abundant generosity, kindness, quick wit, and immense love of family. Blessed with four granddaughters and a great granddaughter, he made it his priority to make a lasting, loving footprint in their lives. It was his greatest wish that they remember him with all the love and fondness that he had for his own grandfather.
Kent was preceded in death by his mother, Hellen Peeples, his father Ray Peeples, his wife, Elaine, and by his two younger sisters, Kaye Henderson and Gayle Hambey. He is survived by his son, D’Ray Peeples and significant other, Lisa Carr, his daughter, D’Layne Carter and husband Mike Carter, grandchildren Berkley Peeples, Tatum Burdis, Abbey Carter, Molly Carter, great-grandchild, Kinley Hucks, sister-in-law Nancy Russell, and numerous nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Elaine Peeples Women’s Leadership
Scholarship at West Texas A&M University or to the Schriner’s Hospital.