John Peck

The funeral may be viewed on the video following the picture tribute.

John Martin Peck, a dedicated husband and father, respected leader and lifelong member of the Columbus community, and former CEO and Chairman of the Board of the First National Bank, passed away on July 16th, 2024. He was 87.  A visitation will be held at St. Bonaventure Church on Wednesday, July 24th from 5-7 p.m. with a vigil beginning at 7:00 p.m. Funeral services will take place on Thursday, July 25th, also at St. Bonaventure Church, at 10:30 a.m. A luncheon will be served at the church immediately following the service. Interment will be held at Calvary Cemetery in Omaha, Nebraska on Saturday, July 27th, at noon.

The son of J.O. And Mary Peck, John grew up in the banking world and learned the value of serving his Community and State from an early age. He graduated from St. Bonaventure (now Scotus Central Catholic) High School in 1955 and went on to attend Creighton University in Omaha.

John's professional career began at the Omaha National Bank, where he spent a number of years learning about commercial banking from the ground up. He was guided by strong mentors, including one who happened to know his "new" girlfriend, Mary Kay (Novak) Peck, and fervently told him that she was "one to hold onto". They married in 1967 and were lifelong partners and friends.

After moving back to Columbus in 1969, Peck began to build his professional career at the First National Bank in town. Simultaneously, he eagerly became involved in civic activities in his beloved hometown. He held Board positions for the Nebraska Bankers Association, the United Way, Columbus Community Hospital, the Columbus Foundation, and the Chamber of Commerce, for which he received the Archway award in 2003 for his lifelong contributions to the community. Peck led the construction of the Bell Tower and Higgins Memorials at Pawnee Park, projects he held close to his heart. His community involvement spread far and wide, and also at the top of his list was his beloved St. Bonaventure Church and Scotus Central Catholic High School.

As a banker, Peck was highly regarded as someone who gave countless members of the community their first chance at starting a local business.  He was masterful at building and maintaining positive relationships in every aspect of his life.

John loved classic cars, wooden boats, summers at Lake Okoboji in Iowa, Nebraska football games, the Elks Country Club, hunting, fishing, and golfing with his dear friends, OFC, and countless dinners at his "home away from home", the Husker House. He also truly loved banking in the Columbus community.

As a father and grandfather, Peck was a beloved role model. He passed along an invaluable mantra for the importance of building and maintaining positive relationships with others. He adored his family, and his family adored him.

John is preceded in death by his parents, J.O. And Mary Peck, sister and brother-in-law, Jo Ann (Peck) and George Prochaska, and nephew, Kim Prochaska.  He is survived by his beloved wife of 57 years, Mary Kay Peck, daughter Marilu Peck (Joe Logudic) and their three children, Nina, Jack and Lucy, of Rye, New York, daughter Alison (Ed) Kelly, and their three children, Mary, John and Branden, of Omaha, Nebraska, and two nephews, Kevin and Kerry Prochaska, both of Bandera, Texas.

Memorials can be sent to The Platte County Historical Society Museum, St. Bonaventure Church, or the Okoboji Protective Association.