John Houston Peden died peacefully at home on March 26, 2021 with his son and caregiver, Carl, by his side. He was born and grew up in Kemper County, MS and was the sixth of eight children born to his parents, James Jarvis Peden and Ella Gully Peden. He was predeceased by his parents and his four brothers and three sisters. John Houston Peden and Callie Burnett were married in DeKalb, MS in September 1941, just shortly before the attack on Pearl Harbor. They were married 74 years before his beloved Callie died in October 2015. Mr. Peden was also predeceased by his sons, John Houston Peden, Jr. and Donald Lee Peden and his grandson Bryan Edward Peden. He is survived by his daughter, Jean Peden Inge of Mobile, AL; his sons, Carl C. Peden of Douglasville, GA and Gary N. Peden and his wife, Diane Simmons Peden of Jacksonville, AL; his daughter-in-law, Debbie Fair Peden-Hunter and her husband, Ricky Hunter of Villa Ricca, Georgia. Survivors also include numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces and nephews, and a host of friends. Mr. Peden served in the Army Air Corp during World War II in North Africa, Italy, France and Sicily and was in Brussels, Belgium awaiting transport home for leave before being sent to serve in the Pacific when the atomic bomb was dropped on Japan ending the need for additional troops in the Pacific. After his discharge from the service in 1945, Mr. Peden returned to his job at Brookley Air Force Base in Mobile, AL where he had been employed before his military enlistment. Upon closure of Brookley Air Force Base in 1967, Mr. Peden moved with his wife and two youngest sons to San Antonio, TX where he worked at Kelly Air Force Base until his retirement in 1977. He enjoyed his 44-year retirement which began with him and his wife and youngest son, Gary, returning to Mobile. In 2006 Mr. and Mrs. Peden moved to Douglasville, GA. to live with their son, Carl, and to be near their son, Don and his family.
Mr. Peden was a committed Christian and a member of Central Baptist Church in Douglasville, GA. Until after his 100th birthday he actively participated in Charlie Holloway’s Sunday School Class at Central Baptist. He valued his time spent with his Sunday School class, loved the members of the class and treasured their friendship. He devoted time each day to prayer and reading his Bible as well as his favorite devotional book, Jesus Calling. God blessed Mr. Peden with a keen intellect, amazing memory, and an inquiring mind. In recent times he could still quote beloved poetry written by Shakespeare and others which he had learned in his youth. He also could still recite the Pythagorean theorem learned in his high school days and vividly remembered many other things that completely astounded his family and friends. Even past 100 years of age he avidly followed world news, politics, and other subjects. Until recent times, when his eyesight dimmed, he enjoyed spending his days reading about topics of interest, playing bridge and listening to his favorite music on his computer and spending his evenings playing chess with Carl. From the time his eyesight failed to a week before his passing, he spent most of his waking hours listening to recorded books.
He was beloved by his family and friends and will be greatly missed; but we know he knew the Lord and is now in His presence. We look forward to the day when we will see him again in Heaven. Because of COVID-19 safety concerns, there will only be a family graveside service in Mobile, AL at Mobile Memorial Gardens where he will be laid to rest.
1917-2021
