July 21, 2016

George Peabody, a familiar face at Lakeside, dies at 63

In 1982, George Peabody became the youngest manager at Lakeside Industries at the age of 28.

Peabody continued to work at the family-owned asphalt paving business until his death Sunday at age 63 in Providence, R.I. Peabody lived in Port Angeles and was manager of Lakeside's Olympic Peninsula Division.

Peabody

Jim Wiedman, a Lakeside manager and close friend, said he thinks Peabody's favorite projects were Lake Crescent Highway 101 and Hurricane Ridge Road, but Wiedman said his friend was just as happy if a customer liked the paving job on a driveway.

Peabody was born in Auburn and grew up in Kitsap County. His professional career started in a materials lab for Pacific Testing at the Hanford nuclear plant. He later returned to Kitsap County as a materials tester for Cascade Testing when it was working on the Trident submarine base at Bangor.

After Bangor, he got a job as a project manager and estimator for North Kitsap Sand & Gravel, then moved to Port Angeles for a stint with Shotwell Paving.

Lakeside bought Shotwell in 1982 and made Peabody division manager. Peabody over the years helped the division expand its territory to Clallam, Jefferson, Kitsap and Mason counties.

When not at work, Peabody spent time with his family, golfing with his wife and friends, coaching his grandchildren, bowling, and walking his dogs.

Peabody is survived by his wife, Rena Peabody; son George Peabody of Port Angeles; daughters Annie Peabody (Tim Stundis) of North Attleborough, Massachusetts, and Katie Peabody (Paul DiMartino) of Seattle; and six grandchildren.

The Peabody name continues at Lakeside, with daughter Katie as operations coordinator at the Greater Seattle/Eastside Division and son George as project manager at the Lacey Division.

A funeral will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday at Saint Matthews Lutheran Church in Port Angeles, followed by a life celebration at Peninsula Golf Course in Port Angeles.

Donations may be made to the American Heart Association.