Gordon “Pete” Peckham, 91, affectionately known as “Poose” to his family, peacefully passed away on October 17, 2026.
Born January 14, 1935, to Raymond and Clara Peckham, Pete grew up in Little Compton, Rhode Island, the youngest of four children. He leaves two sons, Gregg Peckham and his wife, Donna, of Little Compton, and Todd Peckham of Portsmouth; three grandchildren, Jeremy Peckham of Little Compton, Lindsay Francesconi and her husband, Kyle, of Connecticut, and Oliver Peckham of Portsmouth; and a greatgrandson, Declan Francesconi. He was the father of the late Jeffrey and Lori Peckham and brother of the late Elinor Gavin, Albert Peckham, and Norman Peckham.
Like his father and siblings, he attended Northfield Mount Hermon School in Massachusetts. At the age of 21, Pete entered the Air Force cadet program, where he learned to fly. He became an officer in the Air National Guard and spent 30 years as a commercial airline pilot and captain with Mohawk Airlines, Allegheny Airlines, and USAir. In
1958, Pete married Barbara McCormick. They made their home in Little Compton, where they raised their four children. Although their marriage later ended, his love for Barbara endured. Even in his final days, his face would light up when he saw her. “Barbara!”, he would say with a smile.
Pete’s love of flying extended beyond his career. He kept three single-engine planes on the family property, which had its own grass “runway”. His favorite was the Tiger Moth, an open-cockpit World War II-era biplane. He loved to fly low over the Sakonnet River, buzzing fishing boats and treating Little Compton residents to aerobatic shows. He taught his son Jeff to fly, and following in his father’s footsteps, he went on to become a captain with United Airlines.
Later in life, Pete was drawn to the mountains and moved to Stratton, Vermont, where skiing became his passion. He hit the slopes well into his 70s and, in his prime, skied a remarkable 100 days in a row. There he taught his grandchildren to ski, and every winter his condo at 442 Long Trail overflowed with grandchildren and their friends.
As one of Stratton’s few year-round residents, Pete was well known and loved on the mountain. He took on the role of Long Trail’s self-appointed caretaker, reminding everyone with a wag of his finger: “No bottles in the hot tubs!” His dedication to making Long Trail more welcoming for families led management to seek his advice on improvements to the property.
Smart, charming, and funny, Pete was one of a kind. His piercing blue eyes would twinkle with mischief, and his humor and personality left a lasting impression on everyone he met. To his family, he was their beloved “Poose.”