Hermann August Peine

Hermann August Peine, after a courageous dance with cancer passed peacefully on his own terms being surrounded by his family on Friday May 1st, 2020. Hermann was born on May 27th, 1944 in Hildesheim Germany, to Jutta Viktoria Peine, who had been recently widowed. The post war years were quite difficult with very challenging living conditions, yet in spite of this his mother was able to provide a wonderful childhood for him. At the age of seven, they received approval to emigrate, so on Christmas Eve they began their journey. They left their home and loved ones behind in Germany to travel to a new life beyond the sea in America. Thanks to dear friends in Utah who sponsored their travels, Hermann and Viktoria settled first in Farmington, Utah, and then later moved to Salt Lake City.

Growing up in the Avenues area of Salt Lake City, Hermann attended West High School before serving a mission in Switzerland. During his mission, Hermann felt the desire to work with people, which led him to attend the University of Utah where he earned his Masters and PHD in Clinical Psychology. Hermann was never one to be bored and always created his own career path including time spent working in London at the Hospital for Sick Children, as a professor at Western Michigan University alongside B.F. Skinner, and as an adjunct professor at the University of Utah teaching various psychology courses. Being a dynamic teacher, Hermann taught courses such as the Psychology of Children’s Literature and the Psychology of Living Spaces and Design (which he taught both in the classroom as well as a study abroad leading students through Europe for a month each summer). Hermann held a variety of other positions including, teaching Drug and Alcohol prevention in school districts across the entire state of Utah, working with severe handicapped at the Utah State Developmental Center in American Fork, providing health and wellness clinics around Utah for the State Health Department, providing youth Autism Assessments and Counseling for the County of Kauai, and had a private counseling practice. Hermann loved to incorporate travel as part of his work, and had no qualms about bringing his wife or children along wherever he went, with one such favorite opportunity being bringing his family to the island of Cyprus, where he was granted a Fulbright Scholarship to work on conflict resolution between the two sides of the divided island.

Hermann had a lot of loves in life, with the foremost being his wife Louise Merkley whom he married in the Logan Temple in 1975. Hermann, Louise and daughter Emily began their new life together as a family in Springville Utah. Their family soon grew with the addition of Jordan, Jonathan, Alina, and Michael. Hermann was a remarkable father, considering he never had one at home growing up, and was thrilled as each child arrived. He was quick to take the kids on a variety of spontaneous outings to give Louise a break. There were many last minute drives to the canyons to see the leaves, weekend camping trips, night skiing and hiking. Everything was an adventure for Hermann Peine, and he thrived on new experiences, especially when shared with family.

It is tough to describe a day in the life of Herman, as he was never one to be bored and always had a zest for life. Some of his great loves include a lifetime gardening partnership with Louise, his daily filling of the feeder to then watch the birds, a lifetime full of skiing (he was very proud of his 10 days on the mountain this year), painting, photography, beekeeping, candle making, Christmas curry making, hiking, camping, long drives with Louise, road trips with family, Costco runs, all day beach days, writing (having published a number of books), and even simply puttering around the garage and yard. Hermann had a sense of fun, and was never afraid to laugh or be laughed at. He was a master of the “Dad Joke” and a master chef of very random meals, which his kids may (or may not) have loved equally.

Hermann believed in spontaneous service and was quick to recognize a need or to provide a word of comfort or direction. This belief, along with his psychology background, came to great use as he served in his community as well as for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints where he served in many capacities including, serving as Bishop in Springville, Utah, as well as in the High Council for many years in both Alpine, Utah and Kauai, Hawaii. Later in life Hermann was able to serve three missions with his spouse, including a Salt Lake City inner-city mission, a humanitarian mission working with refugees from southeast Asia, as well as the Mental Health Advisor to the West Africa Area based in Ghana. All of these service opportunities brought joy to Hermann as it enabled him to connect with and “talk story” with a wide variety of people whom he loved so dearly. Throughout his life Hermann collected a great number of dear friends and adopted family across the world from Utah, to Hawaii, Europe and Africa. Hermann also felt a strong connection to family, including his earthly father whom he had never met in this life. This was his greatest love, to connect with others, along with his love for his Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

During the last week of his life Hermann reassured his family saying he is totally happy with no regrets in this earthly life. With a bit of a laugh, he repeated an old German quote often used by his mother saying, “All things have an end, only a sausage has two”.

Being an only child, Hermann always wished for a large family, and in this he definitely succeeded as he was preceded in death by his father Hermann August Peine, Mother Jutta Viktoria Peine, uncle Hans-Otto Deppe, Aunt Ursula Specht, Parents-in-law Lon and Helen Merkley and Brother-in-law Christopher Merkley. Hermann is survived by his wife Louise Merkley Peine, Children Emily Haley, Jordan Peine (Kimberly), Jonathan Peine, Alina Peine (Joseph Diaz), Michael Peine (Alexandra) and grandchildren Oliver Haley, Charles Haley, London Peine, Anderson Peine, Vivian Peine and Anya Diaz. As well as his Aunt Doris Deppe-Lindenthaler, and cousins Andre Deppe (Sachiko), Eveline Machleid (Oliver), Julia Wiese (Mattias), Ronja Titz (Benjamin) and Jens Deppe (Tabea). Siblings-in-law Kay Merkley, Parry Merkley (Carolyn), Ruth Fish, Allyson Merkley and Nania Merkley, and many beloved nieces, nephews and extended family around the world.

A viewing for Hermann will be held on Thursday May 7th, 2020 at Larkin Sunset Lawn and then will be interred at the Salt Lake City Cemetery. Due to current gathering restrictions, a memorial service will be held in St. George, Utah at a later date yet to be determined.