Lee Peddycoart

Lee Richard “Dick” Peddycoart was loving, smart, generous, quietly witty, wonderful…a husband, father, son, grandfather, great grandfather, brother-in-law, brother, uncle, cousin, and friend to many.  He passed away on June 6, 2020 in Salt Lake City, Utah after living an accomplished, full life of significant impact on many.
Dick Peddycoart was born on March 27, 1924 to his mother, Flora Peddycoart, in Lewistown, Montana. He is the youngest of 2 children.  His older brother, Robert Peddycoart, Georgia, pre-deceases him.            
Dick graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 1944 with a degree in Petroleum Engineering.  He was extremely proud to have played football for OU (halfback) and was a lifelong alumni and loyal OU Football Fan and so happy that 2 grandsons and 5 nieces and nephews followed in his legacy!  While at the University of Oklahoma, he married Carolyn Ann Cullen, Tulsa, Oklahoma, who pre-deceases him. His beloved parents-in-law are Anamabel and Ronald J. Cullen, Tulsa, Oklahoma, also pre-deceased.  His sisters-in-law are Peggy Cullen Bridston, Bemidgi, MN, pre-deceased; Anna Mabel Cullen, Houston, Texas, and Elizabeth (Betsy) Cullen, Houston, TX., all of whom he greatly loves, plus their amazing families.
Dick joined the Navy during World War II as an Ensign and shortly after graduation moved to Illinois and Indiana, where he worked in the oil business as a Petroleum Engineer.  He and Caroloyn had 3 daughters, Pamela Peddycoart, Guadalajara, Mexico; Cynthia Peddycoart Taylor (Harry Taylor), Austin, Texas, and Patricia Peddycoart Dalheim (Ed Dalheim), Dallas, Texas.  Dick loved Texas, (and Oklahoma!), family and friends, playing golf, barbecuing, fishing offshore and lakes, swimming, exploring for and finding fossils, showing us geological formations on long drives, helping his children with their homework, woodworking, mowing huge lawns, designing their first home, laying brick sidewalks and stairs, building retaining walls multiple times, and vacations!  Travelling was their most favorite past-time and they passed this love on to their children, grandchildren and beyond.  Moving to Houston, Texas in 1968, Dick worked for the Dow Chemical Company as a Petroleum Engineer in Secondary Oil Recovery until he formed his own company. He moved to Oklahoma City in 1980 and his wife Carolyn sadly passed away after a wonderful loving marriage of 37 years!
In 1982 Dick met and married Gaye Eichbauer of Salt Lake City, Utah!  They soon decided to move back to her home town and they packed everything up and left the dusty plains of Oklahoma/Texas to start their lives in the gorgeous city in the Valley.  Surrounded by mountains and snow and all things exciting outdoors Dick embraced this new outdoor lifestyle of Utah! Gaye and her family restored fun and love to his life. His marriage to Gaye was a beautiful, loving partnership for almost 40 years!   Quite an accomplishment, we think, to have had two very long-term and loving partnerships in a lifetime!
Dick and Gaye created a wonderful, blended family of 5 children and their spouses, 10 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren, all of whom he loves deeply. His children in Salt Lake are Gainer Waldbillig, Salt Lake City, and Jill Waldbillig, Utah.   He enjoyed his active outdoor life in Salt Lake City and the beautiful surrounding mountains where their families hiked, fished, camped, skied, rode horses and snowmobiles, exercised, explored in their RV and travelled as much as they could!
Dick and Gaye were pleased to work together as award winning Realtor Agents in the Residential Real Estate industry in Utah for over 25 years, building successful careers and friendships from clients as well as colleagues.
Dick Peddycoart was a truly valued source of honesty, reliability, integrity and love.  He gave his family and friends his true love.  As one of his granddaughters, Elke Waldbillig Opsahl in Salt Lake recalls:  “Grandfather was a soft-spoken, southern gentleman, a doting partner, with a wicked sense of humor.  When he spoke, you knew you were about to get a dose of the truth.  Grandfather, thank you for EVERYTHING – we love you!!”  Perfect description.