Thelma Klein Peck

Thelma Klein Peck

February 24, 1925 – August 30, 2016

Aging with grace and grit, Thelma lived a life full of curiosity, adventure and loving relationships. She took her last breath held by her daughters and surrounded by the beauty she created in her home in Albany, California.
Born February 24, 1925 to Frank and Jennie Klein in Philadelphia. She graduated from Penn State University at 19 and served in the Marines during WWII. She married Morton Peck in 1948. She was proud to be a social worker (MSW, University of Pennsylvania 1948; LCSW) and practiced for nearly 70 years, seeing clients the week before she died. A life-long learner, she was one of the oldest graduates of the Starr King School for the Ministry, receiving a Masters in Divinity in 2001 from the University of California, Berkeley's Graduate Theological Union, at age 76.
She and Morty were married thirty years, raised three daughters and went on to live in Mexico and Bali. Thelma's solo adventures took her to Prague, Amsterdam, Jerusalem, Amsterdam, the Esalen Institute and back to Bali.

She loved being part of a large and lively extended family and was an elegant and powerful presence at occasions of joy and loss. In her last decade, she officiated weddings for family and friends, danced at her granddaughter's wedding, held her great-grandson and celebrated her grandson's recent engagement.
She was preceded in death by her daughter (Ellen), parents, husband (Morton Peck), brother (Victor Klein) and cousin (Bernie Schwartz).

She is survived by daughters Laura Peck (Alan Stein) and Magda (Madge) Peck (Jim Anderson); sister-cousins (Claire Rothman, Anne Schwartz); grandchildren (Anya Freedman (Michael), Sam Anderson (Liz Mandy), Zac Stein, and David Anderson; great-grandson George (Freedman); nieces (Joan Klein, Toni Klein, and Dani Modisett) and myriad friends. Her last years were greatly enhanced by the love and companionship of Dilza Balthazar, Alicia Benito, and Stan Yantis.
A celebration of her life will be held on September 24 at 4 pm at the East Bay Jewish Community Center in Berkeley CA. In lieu of flowers, the family encourages contributions to promote democracy, social justice, and women's rights.