Lois Verla Woodle Peacock

Allow me to introduce my favorite person in the world to you, my very best friend, my mother, Lois Verla Woodle Peacock. She was born and raised in Salt Lake City from a linage stemming from the original Utah Mormon Pioneers wherein her Welch grandfathers helped to build the Latter-Day Saint Temple and Tabernacle in Salt Lake City Utah with all the plasterwork. Born June 23, 1927, to Cris Julian Woodle and Gwenllian Maude Harris, she grew up during the “Great Depression” and is part of “The Greatest Generation”, the WWII Era. She was proceeded in death by her older infant sister Virginia Gwen and is survived by her younger sister Lorna Ann Salt. She attended Emerson Elementary, Roosevelt Jr High, and East High School. Growing up in the “9th and 9th” area of Salt Lake, she often visited the Tower Theater, Johnsons Ice-cream Store, and Dunford Bakery. As a teen, she worked at the Garden Gate Soda Fountain inside Walgreens. She was a homebody that loved to read, needlepoint, and play cards. Her favorite color was Ruby Red, and she loved dark chocolate, kittens, red roses, and green tea. Tea was not a beverage in our home, it was an activity. She was a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day saints her whole life and was involved with countless service projects, teaching the children in primary over 25 years, and working as a Young Women’s Leader. Lois was an absolutely amazing teacher. She was a talented writer and her talks, teaching, and sentiments she would share, were always lovely and meaningful. Although she never said much, she was a deep thinker and a lady of substance with a love for the underdog and lowly in heart. Her one-on-one discussions were always filled with wisdom and encouragement. She was humble and grateful for the kindness people gave her and was always quick to acknowledge with her thank you cards. She was an animal advocate and anonymously gave to help animals that were suffering. Her cats meant the world to her. In September of 1952, she married Hal Ray Peacock. Together for years and years, they decorated and hosted the “Golden Green Balls” and she loved to square-dance. She loved to garden and could grow anything and always had a beautiful yard. My mother had thick, long, lovely chestnut-colored hair, blue-green eyes, and flawless porcelain skin. She was always stunning in her pencil skirts and sweaters, her “Andrew Sister-like suits” and stockings and high heels. She was an immaculate housekeeper. She was all about teacups, white handkerchiefs, and polite social graces. Lois worked for the infamous downtown Auerbach’s Department Store and was a lady’s apparel clothing model. Later she oversaw the ZCMI candy counter on Main Street for years, catering to the grand dames of the day and in the middle of the whole downtown high society scene. Now, this is where my mother’s life changed drastically. After almost 20 years of marriage and planning for what retirement might look like, and turning 40, Lois found herself expecting her first baby. This is where I, Julie Ray Peacock, and my mother began. And then if that wasn’t a big enough shock, Lois found herself in the position of becoming a single parent only after two years of my arrival. Over the past 54 years, I have watched as this woman scratched and clawed and became the most brave and self-sacrificing women I have ever known, conquering her fears, accomplishing more than she ever thought she could, and becoming the ultimate success story. Here she worked for 30 years for First Security Bank. Together with her loyal friend Eddie Salt we had a fun and happy life. If there is anything noteworthy of me and what I have become, it is due to my mother that dwelt in the shadows so that the sun might shine on me alone. After 94 and a half years my mother has lived to see it all! She has taught me what true grit is and how to work through hard things, how to be a loyal friend, and what it means to endure to the end. My mother lived her life as an open book that I might learn from her. Her last thoughts were to always be kind, never judge what you can’t see, let your heartbreak but don’t stay broken, never lie, never give up, and just take it one day at a time. All this truly refined her at the end. Although she never believed it, my mother was beautiful and remarkable, and her life made a difference to each person she touched along the way. I will miss my best friend and cheerleader and know not how to continue without her, but I do know that in death as in life, we will stay connected and always be there for one another. I couldn’t be prouder to have had Lois Peacock for my mother. She was just perfect for me. I love you mom and I look forward to our tea parties in heaven.
A very deep thank you to all her dear friends that span over almost 100 years of living and added and sculpted to her life along the way. A sincere thank you to all the angels at The Abbington Assisted Living and Active Hospice that cared for her and watched over her and loved her. You were simply amazing for her and I’m forever in your debt.
Graveside services will be held on Thursday, January 20, 2022, at 11:00 am at the Salt Lake City Cemetery, 4th Avenue & N Street, Salt Lake City, Utah. A viewing will be held at Larkin Mortuary, 260 East South Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah from 10:00 – 10:45 am.