HILDRIE PEEL

Hildrie Peel passed away quietly at Bay Medical Center on Wednesday, February 29, 2012 with his family at his side. He was a lifelong resident of Bay County, son of Hershel and Rosie Peel. Hildrie is survived by his childhood sweetheart, Lou Campbell Peel; Sons, Coby Peel, and Jamie Anderson; and two granddaughters, Stephanie Peel and Hailey Anderson. He graduated from Bay High School in 1954, Gulf Coast Community College and Florida State University. He served and was honorably discharged from the U.S. Army Reserve. Hildrie has dedicated over 40 years of his life to community service, twenty-seven of those years in law enforcement. He was a graduate of the Florida Law Enforcement Academy of Tallahassee and a member of the Jaycees, Masons and Shriners. He was also a member of the Chemical Workers Union, serving as President and Vice President. He first started at the Bay County Sheriff's Department with Sheriff M.J. "Doc" Daffin and continued to serve the public individually or as the director of various programs such as "Special Kid" day at the beach, Early Childhood Services, Toys for Tots, the Bay County Circus, and a member of the Bay County Fair Board. He became a Master Mason in 1957 of Acme Lodge #222 and became a Scottish Rite Mason in 1960 in Panama City. The same year he became a Shriner at the Morocco Temple in Jacksonville, Florida, Charter member of Shaddai Temple in Panama City. He served as Marshall for the Shaddai Temple and was a member of the Callaway Lions, Elks, and the American Legion Post 66. In 1989, he was elected to Cedar Grove City Commission. In 1992, he was then voted to the mayor's office. He was a former chairman of the Metropolitan Planning Organization. His accomplishments will never go unnoticed; he truly was a great leader with skills to influence others to perform to the best of their abilities. If you live in Cedar Grove, or Bay County, you have probably seen this man. He was always smiling and if you had a minute you were likely to hear a good story from the past. No matter who you were, you were always likely to get a smile and a big hello. Hildrie was considered a Goodwill Ambassador for the Sheriff's Department with Sheriff Lavelle Pitts backing his work. If any event was happening chances are Bay County Sheriff's Department Lt Hildrie Peel was there. Senator Dempsey Barron once proclaimed him one of Bay County's natural resources. Hildrie started with the Sheriff's office in 1956 when he was 21 years old. Funeral services will be held in the Wilson Funeral Home Chapel on Saturday, March 3 at 2:00 pm with Rev. Charles Key officiating and music by, Rev. Bobby and Sheri Thompson. The family will receive friends from 1 – 2 p.m. prior to the service. Active pallbearers are George Gainer, Tommy Pippin, Bill Dalton, Mike Broadway, Bo Creel and Mike Odom. Honorary pallbearers will be the Masons, the Shriners and Members of the Bay County Sheriff's Department. If anyone wishes to make contributions in Hildrie's memory, please make them to the Shaddai Transportation Fund, P.O. Box 16115, Panama City, FL 32406.

Wilson Funeral Home