Lord Stuart Thorne Peeler

Lord Stuart Thorne Peeler of Arizona, USA and Melbourne House, Bailieborough, passed away on September 14. He was born on October 28, 1929, otherwise known as Black Tuesday and he was blessed when it came to his career. He visited remote parts of the world and experienced the thrills of overseas adventure. He knew important, powerful people and served on boards that handle world-famous art collections and national treasures, all of it by choices made for career and country. Stuart was raised in southern California by his parents, Elizabeth Fiske Boggess-Peeler and Joseph David Peeler. He graduated from Stanford University and finished his undergraduate studies in history and law a year early. He went on to Harvard Law School and graduated from California National Guard OCS. After serving as a US Army paratrooper in the 11th Airborne Division he joined his father’s law firm Musick, Peeler and Garrett and practised law from 1953 to 1973. He eventually built his own successful practice and had a long list of distinguished clients, including John Paul Getty. Stuart was a director of California Portland Cement for 40 years and went on to purchase ConRock of Los Angeles. The name was changed to Calmat which in 1999 was purchased by Vulcan Materials and the combined companies became the largest producer of aggregate in the US. Stuart served on the board of directors of Homestake Mining in San Francisco and made 78 trips to Australia flying all over the outback. He loved the oil and gas business which took him to more than 50 countries - Nigeria, Iran, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Central and South America, Australia and South Africa among them. He was a director and senior executive of several companies in oil, gas and mining, and joined Santa Fe International Corporation as the general counsel and was regarded as a lawyer’s lawyer. His skill at cultivating personal and contractual relationships was key to Santa Fe’s success. He was Chairman and C.E.O. of Statex Petroleum Company headquartered in Dallas, Texas. He was a member of the board of directors of the Grand Canyon National Park Foundation which worked closely with the National Park Service and private sector donors in funding and implementing the current $200 million programme of remaking the park to cope with the ever increasing number of visitors and establishing a Heritage Education Centre. Stuart was an enthusiastic sportsman who hunted birds in Africa, Central and South America, Scotland and Ireland and fished for blue fin tuna in Canada and black marlin on Australia’s Outer Barrier Reef and off the Mexico Peninsula. He was also a holder of the famous ‘Sharp Cup’ at the Wedgeport Sport, Tuna Fishing, Nova Scotia, Canada. In 1965 Stuart was named a trustee of the Getty Trust, and served for 33 years—the longest in its history. He became ‘intimately involved with the day to day activities’ which included the construction of Los Angeles world famous Getty Museum centre in Brentwood and over saw the restoration of the Getty Villa Museum in Malibu He is an Honorary Distinguished Member of the Regiment of the 159th Infantry of the Military Order of the World Wars and a member of Sociedad de Los Mineros Viejos (The Old Miners Club). He is the third generation of Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in California and The Marquis Who’s Who, in the World. Stuart spoke several languages, even old Latin, was a walking encyclopaedia on any subject and had no airs or class distinction about him. He spent the last years of his life writing a book, Peeler and Son, A Tale of Two Varied Careers. In 1985, Stuart married Sylvia Frances Townley—Rockcorry, Tierworker and Bailieborough—whom he had met on a Republic Airlines flight out of San Francisco, where she was working as lead Flight Attendant. Thus began Stuart’s great association with Ireland. Stuart and Sylvia had a wedding reception in the Nuremore Hotel in Carrickmacross—where Stuart met Sylvia’s family and friends and their marriage was blessed by Ministers Fulton and McCurdy. Afterwards they honeymooned in Australia. In their 25 years of marriage Stuart and Sylvia visited Ireland many times and in particular Bailieborough and its surrounding areas. Throughout this time, Stuart began to think affectionately of Bailieborough as his ‘adopted home’. He made many friends while here—from all walks of life and he liked nothing better than going hunting in the local game sanctuaries. Stuart and Sylvia visited Bailieborough more frequently when their vacation home ‘Melbourne House’—on the site of the original ‘Melbourne House’-- was completed in the late 1990’s. Stuart had an incredible knowledge of Irish history and indeed a vast knowledge of world affairs. In fact Stuart got to like Ireland and its people so much that his last wish was to be buried here. Lord Stuart is survived by his wife of 25 years, Lady Sylvia Frances Townley-Peeler; five sisters-in-law, (Rita) Harriett, Florence, Amanda, Doris and Elaine; brothers-in-law, William, Jim, Stanley and John; daughter, Heather and grand daughter, Isabella; sister, Joyce, her two sons, Joseph and Michael and 21 nieces and nephews in Ireland, England and the US—to whom deepest sympathy is extended. Stuart was remembered on September 30th by friends who gathered at Anthony’s in the Foothills, Tucson, Arizona, U.S.A. Stuart’s remains were brought home to Bailieborough and they reposed at Lady Sylvia’s residence from Sunday, October 10th until their removal on Tuesday, October 12th when they were brought to Ervey Presbyterian Church—accompanied by a lone piper (Mr. John Lamb, Dublin who was dressed in Scotland’s No 1 Battledress) for Funeral Service. The Reverend Sam Anketell conducted a moving and very poignant Service and following which the folding of the National Flag of the U.S.A. was performed by three retired members of the United States Military (Commander Sgt. Major, Ellis Lilly, San Diego, California, Corporal Donald Collins, Chairman 82nd Airborne Division Association of Southern California and Len Millett Medal of Honor Chapter Orange County California and Lt. Col. USAR Gary L Macnamara. All three are from the 82nd Airborne Division Association in Southern California and also served in the U.S. Army Paratroops in the 11th Airborne Division) at the graveside. It was a very dignified and memorable funeral and all present who had the great honour of knowing Stuart will miss his friendliness and charming disposition along with his vibrant personality and hearty laughter. Stuart’s burial took place afterwards in the adjoining cemetery.