[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 140 (Thursday, October 9, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1986-E1987]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                        IN MEMORY OF RAY PEELER

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. RALPH M. HALL

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 9, 1997

  Mr. HALL of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in memory of Ray Peeler, 
Jr., whose death on June 26 at the age of 68 marked a great loss for 
the city of Bonham, TX. Ray was a popular local attorney, banker, and 
community leader. He also was a loyal Democrat whose close friends 
included the late President Lyndon Baines Johnson and the late Speaker 
of the U.S. House of Representatives Sam Rayburn. For many years 
Speaker Rayburn kept his local office on the third floor of the Peeler 
Building on the Bonham Square.
  Ray was the third generation of his family to live in Fannin County. 
He graduated covaledictorian from Bonham High School, received his B.A. 
with high honors from the University of Texas at Austin and his L.L.B. 
in 1951. He served as a captain in the U.S. Air Force from 1951 to 1953 
during the Korean conflict.
  He returned to Bonham, where he began his practice of law in 1953 and 
served as district and county attorney from 1960 to 1961. He was a 
member of the American Bar Association, State Bar of Texas, and served 
as vice president of the State Jr. Bar of Texas from 1959 to 1960. He 
was active in Democratic politics and was a delegate to the Democratic 
National Convention in 1960.
  Ray was a prominent member of the community and devoted his 
professional and personal talents to a variety of civic organizations. 
he served as chairman of the Bonham United Fund and was active in 
bringing new industry to Fannin County through his service as president 
of Bonham Industrial Foundation for 10 years. Ray was an honorary life 
sponsor of the Fannin County Historical Society and was past president 
and member of the Bonham Chamber of Commerce, Texas Pecan Growers 
Association and Texas Horticulture Society. He also was a member of the 
Bonham Rotary Club and the Masonic Lodge. Ray served as president and 
chairman of the board of directors of Fannin Bank and chairman of the 
board of First National Bank.
  Ray was selected for membership in Phi Beta Kappa, Phi gamma Delta 
and Phi Alpha Delta and was named to Who's Who in the South and 
Southwest in 1993. He was a member of the First Christian Church, 
Disciples of Christ, where funeral services were held.
  He is survived by his wife, R'Cella Dean Peeler, son and daughter-in-
law William Bryan Peeler and Amy Peeler of Bonham, daughter and son-in-
law Maribel Peeler Griffon and Mark Griffon of Friendswood; 
stepchildren, Cressie Renfrow Todd and Larry Renfrow; sister Virginia 
Cothran of Forth Worth; and several grandchildren.
  Mr. Speaker, as we adjourn today, it is a privilege for me to pay my 
last respects to a man who gave so much of himself to his profession, 
his community, and his country--Ray Peeler. He will be missed by all 
those who knew him and who loved him, and I am honored to have been his 
friend.

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