Travis A. Peeler

Travis A. Peeler, 80, of Corpus Christi, Texas, passed away Saturday, March 19, 2005. He was born January 17, 1925 in Christine, Texas to Travis L. and Beatrice Wheeler Peeler. During WWII he served in the Army Air Corp in France and flew more than 25 missions over Germany as a gunner in a B-25. A 1953 graduate of the University of Texas Law School, graduating 2nd in his class, he was the oldest in the class at age 30. Mr. Peeler was an attorney and practiced law with Edwin Prichard for over 40 years. Their law firm was first Prichard, Peeler, and Smith and then Prichard, Peeler, Cartwright and Hall. Mr. Peeler was a former four term member of the Texas House of Representatives. He proposed the bill, which passed, to abolish the Poll Tax. He was a former briefing attorney of the Supreme Court of Texas and served in the mid 1950's as an assistant city attorney in Corpus Christi. He served two terms as the Nueces County Democratic Party Chairman and never lost a political election. He was chairman of the local chapter of the State Bar Grievance Committee for many years and was recognized as a life member of the State Bar Foundation in 2005. He was a member of the Episcopal Church, the local Bar Association, the V.F.W., the Kiwanis Club of Corpus Christi, the Masonic Lodge and the Al Amin Shrine Temple.He was preceded in death by his wife, Louise E. Peeler in 1995.He is survived by his son, Paul Peeler and his wife Bonnie of Corpus Christi; his daughter, Sally Dick and her husband Larry of Orange, California; a step son, Blake Vaught of South Carolina; and step-daughter, Jo Betsy Vaught of Austin, Texas; five grandchildren, Travis Lee Peeler and Christopher L. Peeler both of Corpus Christi, Lara Peeler of College Station, Texas, Michael David Dick of New York and Jane Elizabeth Dick of Orange, California; his former wife, Jane Noe of Corpus Christi.Visitation will be from Noon until 8:00 P.M. with the family present from 6:00 P.M. until 8:00 P.M. Thursday, March 24, 2005 in Sawyer-George Funeral Home.Funeral services will be conducted at 10:00 A.M. Friday, March 25, 2005 in Sawyer-George Funeral Home Chapel with Brother Tim Thornton officiating. Graveside services will be conducted at 3:00 P.M. Friday, March 25, 2005 in Mission Park South Cemetery in San Antonio, Texas.Pallbearers will be Travis L. Peeler, Christopher L. Peeler, Charles Cartwright, Edwin Prichard, Philip Hall and Sam Keach.Honorary pallbearers will be Robert "Bob" Wheeler, Jerry Wheeler, J. Earl Wheeler, Clifford McTee, John J. Peeler, Tom Peeler, Michael David Dick, Judge James Klager, Richard Hatch, Sr. and Paul Kratzig. In lieu of flowers, friends may make contributions to Calallen Academic Booster Club Scholarship Fund, In care of Calallen I.S.D., 4205 Wildcat Drive, Corpus Christi, Texas 78410.