Dwayne Peaslee Obituary

Dwayne W. Peaslee

Funeral services for Dwayne W. Peaslee, 81, Lawrence, KS will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, November 22, 2013 at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Lawrence. Private burial will be held at Memorial Park Cemetery in Lawrence. He died Tuesday, November 19, 2013 at Lawrence Memorial Hospital.

Dwayne was born July 13, 1932 in Lawrence, KS, the son of Dwight W. and Leona (Hodges) Peaslee.

He had moved to Lawrence in 2013 after being a resident of Perry since 1976.

He served his country in the United States Army from 1953 – 1955 as a Medic with a rank of SP-3.

He attended the University of Kansas for three years and then for five years at the Pipefitter's Apprenticeship and Leadership Training at The George Meany Training Center in Washington, D.C.

Dwayne served seven years on the Douglas County United Way Board of Directors and coordinated the refurbishing of the Valleyview Care Home into office areas for service agencies, using many of the building trade apprentices, which is now The United Way Service Center. The Center received a National Award for this achievement. He served on the City-County Planning Commission, The City-County Economic Development Board, The City Administrative Review Committee, served a term as a board member of the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Lawrence Chamber Commerce Labor-Management Task Force, and he was a current member of the Chamber Governmental Affairs Committee. He served as a chairman of the Lawrence School District's School-to-Career Partnership. He served on the Lawrence Plumber's & Pipefitter's Joint Training Committee for 20 years, the Lawrence Local Areas' Joint Apprenticeship Committee and a Trustee of UA Local #441 Plumber's & Pipefitter's Apprenticeship Training of Kansas Board. In August 2011 he was inducted into the United States Apprenticeship Association Hall of Fame.

Dwayne served the Kansas Governor for 17 years on the (SAC) State Apprenticeship Council, and of recent, still attended SAC meetings. He served 15 years on the State Building Advisory Commission, 15 years on the Kansas Workforce Investment Board, on the Governor's 21st Century Taskforce and the Governor's Commission on Health and Safety and The Housing and Homeless Commission. He served for the Kansas Secretary of Education on a Business-Education Taskforce. He participated in School-to-Career Grant reviews on the

State and Federal level. He formerly assisted the Kansas Board of Education as a member of the Kansas Advisory Council on Career and Technical Education.

He served several different offices at Immanuel Lutheran Church in the 1960's and early 70's as well as being the youth leader which included starting a cub and boy scout troop. He then served on the building committee that had Redeemer Lutheran Church constructed in 1978 and the expansion in 2000. He was elected to Redeemer's church council in 1978 and serving up to the present time. He served as President, Vice President, Secretary, and on the Board of Elders, Board of Evangelism, Communication & Social Concerns Committee and Vacation Bible School Director.

Dwayne was a pipefitter for 60 years and served as the Business Manager for the Plumber's & Pipefitter's Lawrence Local Union from 1987 – 1993.

In September 2013, the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce announced that they will name the adult training center to be built near 31st and Haskell Avenue after Dwayne. "Dwayne is a gentleman who has, over his lifetime, had a tremendous impact on business, on Lawrence's economy, on individuals," said Greg Williams, president and CEO of the Lawrence Chamber.

In 2012, the Lawrence Chamber presented him with the prestigious Citizen of the Years Award.

He married Ruby B. Bagby on December 22, 1951 in Danforth Chapel in Lawrence. She survives of the home.

Other survivors include one daughter, Valerie Dawn Earhart and husband Darrin, Springfield, MO; and one son, Kyle Wayne Peaslee, Brown Deer, WI.

The family will receive friends from 5:30-7 p.m. Thursday at Warren-McElwain Mortuary in Lawrence.

The family suggests memorials in his name to the Redeemer Lutheran Church, the Kaw Valley Wood Carver's – Topeka or to the Douglas County Visiting Nurses Rehabilitation and Hospice Care and may be sent in care of the mortuary.

Online condolences may be sent to www.warrenmcelwain.com.

Please sign this guestbook at Obituaries.LJWorld.com.