Peter T Work passed from this life September 10, 2017, the son of David B. and Lydia Wolf Work, born in Lake City, Colorado. He attended schools in Gunnison, Colorado and graduated high school 1951; Colorado A&M (now CSU) Fort Collins, Colorado 1955 Mechanical Engineering.
Through ROTC he graduated as a 2nd Lt. In the US Air Force. He did flight training in Hondo, Texas and Greenville Mississippi. He married E. Dayonne Hurt August 12, 1956 in Wheatridge, Colorado and she joined him in Greenville. Acquiring his pilot license and attending flight instructor school in Selma, Alabama he was a jet pilot instructor for the remainder of his 3-year commitment to the Air Force.
In August 1958 he and Dayonne became members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. After discharge from the Air Force GE hired him to be the engineer in the testing lab of their air conditioning plant in Tyler, Texas. After six years there he took leave from GE and attended BYU receiving an MBA in 1966,
Returning to GE he worked in their Range Department design area at Appliance Park in Louisville, Kentucky for two years. Offered a job as head and instructor of the Refrigeration Dept. of Texas State Technical Institute in Waco, Texas he decided it would be a good career move. While there he began exploring the possibility of his own A/C business, which was his aim in getting an MBA. He was told that Denton, being close to the growing cities of Dallas/Fort Worth his business would grow also.
In February 1970 with a $1000 loan from in-laws he moved his family to Denton and began Work Environmental Systems, a heating and air conditioning business, working out of his rented house’s garage. The first few weeks he visited businesses, getting acquainted and leaving his card. In a few years he was able to buy the property at Ft. Worth Drive and Mission St. in Denton where the building now stands. Pete retired in 1999 and passed the business on to his three longest employees.
Pete and his wife were faithful members of their church and after retirement they served as missionaries in the Nigeria Lagos Mission for eighteen months. They also served as workers in the Dallas Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
He was a Texas Professional Engineer and a life member of ASME American Society of Mechanical Engineers and ASHRAE American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers. Pete described himself as a tinkerer and spent his free time fixing mechanical puzzles.
Pete and Dayonne had eight children, training and encouraging them to be self-sufficient and to contribute to society. He was a tough love father that was steadfast and an example of integrity. After the children left home, he always received letters and/or notes telling him how much they appreciated the things they learned from him.
He is survived by his wife of 61 years, and his 8 children, Wayne Work of Denton, Paul (Sherry) Work of Hillsboro, OR, Arlen (Kari) Work of Layton, UT, Adrian (Chock) Booher of Franklin, KY, Irene (Bob) Perry of Odessa, TX, Celia (Robert) Ruiz of Forney, TX, Glen Work of Cedar Park, TX, and Marla (Joe) Vaughn of Chandler, AZ, his thirty-two grandchildren, and 8 great grandchildren.
The family would like to extend their gratitude to Ann’s Haven Hospice VNA who have been with us the past week. Visitation will be held 9/11 6-8PM at DeBerry Funeral Home and the funeral services will be held at 10AM Tuesday 9/12 at the LDS Chapel at 1801 Malone St., Denton, TX with burial to follow at Roselawn Memorial Park, Denton. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to VNA Ann’s Haven, 1204 W. University Dr. Ste. 150, Denton, TX 76201
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