Philip Peed

Philip Archie Peed, 89, lifelong resident of Roswell, passed away Saturday morning in his sleep. Philip was the son of Dread and Willie Dee Peed, and was preceded in death by his brothers Lawrence, John, and Howard, and his sisters Alma and Sybil.

Philip was born November 8, 1921 in Roswell, and graduated from Roswell High School where he was a standout in football, and an AllState basketball player. After high school, he worked for local clothiers The Model and Ball and Ray. In 1942, he entered the Army Air Corps where he trained as a pilot however, he was unable to complete his pilot training and was certified as a bombardier on B17 aircraft. Sent to Germany as part of the 8th Air Force303rd Bombardment Wing, Philip flew 6 missions against the Nazi regime until his plane was shot down on Black Thursday Oct. 14, 1943 in the infamous raid on the ball bearing factories of Schweinfurt. He was captured by the Germans and spent 18 months as a POW until liberated by forces under the command of Gen. George Patton. During his internment, Philip took classes taught by fellow inmates in accounting and bookkeeping, which became his vocation for the rest of his life.

After the war, Philip returned to Roswell, where he married Leola Smith. He worked in Roswell as general manager and bookkeeper for Bill Deane Tire Company, moved to Farmington for a few years where he was general manager for Beeco Tire Company until becoming a fulltime accountant and returning to Roswell to work for Deason, Crocker, Singleton and Peters. Though Philip never went to college, he gained so much practical accounting experience that he became a Registered Public Accountant, and then went on to be a CPA the equivalent of earning a Masters degree. When Philips fatherinlaw Harold Smith passed away and left a working cattle ranch to his wife Claribel , Philip took over as manager, overseeing the operation, keeping the books, and working the cattle on the weekends while he continued his accounting work. He was selected as Outstanding Rancher in 1992 by the Border Soil and Water Conservation District however, the drought necessitated the sale of the ranch in 1993. He retired from accounting in 1993 and spent his retirement playing golf where he was known as Fairway Phil gardening, woodworking, and being caretaker for his motherinlaw and his two sisters as they neared the ends of their lives.

Philip was wellloved by many in the Roswell community, had a magnetic, loving personality, a servants heart, and never met a stranger. He is survived by his beloved wife of 66 years, Leola Smith Peed, daughter Sharon OBryant of Ruidoso, son John Peed of Suwanee, GA, his brothers Harold and Robert, seven grandchildren, and fifteen greatgrandchildren. He will be missed.

Memorial Services will be held at 10:00 A.M., on Tuesday, October 18, 2011 at LaGrone Funeral Chapel. Military honors will be conducted by the Roswell Veterans Honor Guard. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to the Alzheimers Association, NM Chapter, 404 S. Kentucky, Roswell, NM 88201.

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