Jonathan Peck

BIRTH AND EARLY LIFE On December 20, 1955, the Peck family received an early Christmas present. The late Rev. Stephen Madry Peck, Sr., and Dorothy Adams Peck were blessed with their second child, and Stephen Madry Peck, Jr., was blessed with a younger brother. At the time, the Pecks were living in Springfield, Illinois. The new addition to the family was given the name Jonathan Earl Peck. One year after Jonathan's birth, his beloved baby brother George was welcomed to the world, while the family resided in Des Moines, Iowa. In the years following Jonathan and George's births, the family moved to Florida residing in several Florida cities (Daytona Beach, Tampa, Bartow and Orlando), before moving to West Palm Beach in 1969. The family moved often because his father's pastoral assignments in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Throughout his childhood, no matter what city he found himself in, Jonathan loved spending time with his brothers. His fondest memories involved running around with other Pecks and Adams at family reunions and during holidays. HIGH SCHOOL YEARS Jonathan began his secondary education at Twin Lakes High School. He excelled in school, especially in classes like English and History. A natural social butterfly and outspoken leader, Jonathan quickly became interested in student government. At Twin Lakes, he was elected Vice-President of the Student Council and President of the Junior Class. During the time Jonathan attended the Palm Beach County Public Schools, the school district was under court ordered desegregation. A bussing program was instituted to integrate the local schools. As a result, Jonathan had to leave Twin Lakes High School and attend John I. Leonard High School. At John I. Leonard High School, he was elected Vice President of the Student Council also. Missing his old school and maintaining his interest in civics, Jonathan requested permission to participate in the forensics program at Twin Lakes, allowing him to continue spending time on their campus. Through that program, he won awards for debate and oratory performance. Jonathan received his high school diploma in 1973. COLLEGE YEARS Following high school, Jonathan attended Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. The all-male historically Black college was an excellent fit, with him receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1977. At Morehouse, Jonathan studied English, made lifelong friends, and was involved in several theatrical productions. In later years, he would often joke that he decided to become involved with the drama club because it was a vehicle for meeting students at neighboring Spelman College, the all-female college. Whatever his motivation, it was during those college productions that he discovered his talent and passion for theatre. That discovery led to a 40-year acting career. ACTING CAREER Jonathan's acting career began in Atlanta, Georgia, where was based until 1986, he acted, directed and did film work in such locations as the Caribbean, Texas, and California. While in Atlanta, he played the title role in the American premiere of Man Friday and such other productions, as Whose Life is it, Anyway?, Three Penny Opera, and The River Niger. His television credits included the ABC miniseries King with Paul Winfield and Cicely Tyson, Freedom Road with Muhammad Ali, Rage of Angels II, One Life to Live, and a lead role in Tame Same Hiccup, a children's film for PBS. Upon moving to New York, Jonathan continued his love for the theatre while engaging in some camera productions. He performed in theatres regionally and in New York City. Jonathan grew to love Shakespeare productions starring in the title role in Othello Festival and playing King of Navarre in Love's Labour Lost at the Colorado Shakespeare. Some of his other Shakespearean roles, on and off Broadway, include Head of Passes (New York Shakespeare Festival); Shiva (New York Shakespeare Festival); Richard III (The Pearl Theatre Company); and Julius Caesar (Joseph Papp Public Theatre). At the Arena Stage in Washington, DC, he was privileged to open the new Shakespeare Theatre in the production of Tamburlaine and Edward II; to play Tom opposite of Ruby Dee's Amanda in Tennessee Williams' Glass Menagerie; and to perform in Every Tongue Confess with Felecia Rashad. In 1993, he was nominated for the Helen Hayes Award for his work in Blood Knot, a play about two brothers living in a one-room shack, by South African playwright, actor, and director Athol Fugard. In Boston, he played the title roles of Hamlet and starred as Sterling in the August Wilson play, Two Trains Running. Jonathan would later appear in August Wilson's plays Fences and The Piano Lesson. One of Jonathan's proudest accomplishments included performing as Gee in the Emmy nominated Hallmark Hall of Fame film Decoration Day. He also appeared in TV shows as Law and Order-Criminal Intent, The West Wing, American Dreams, Doll & Em, and My Special Angel. Film productions include The Devil's Own, Cadillac Records, The Rubicon, AMC, Devil Girl and Someone Else's America. In daytime series, he was the recurring character of Agent Baker in One Life to Live (ABC), and had recurring roles in Loving (ABC) and Here and Now (NBC). Prior to returning to West Palm Beach, the only extended time Jonathan spent away from New York was to play Jafar in Disney's original musical Aladdin at Disney's California Adventure Theme Park. TRANSITION AND FAMILY Though his career was of great importance to him, family was always Jonathan's top priority. He kept in close contact with the same cousins he played with as a child and, toward the end of his life, he moved back to West Palm Beach to be closer to his mother and younger brother. For the final 23 years of his life, Jonathan was also a proud and loving father. He and Kirsten Peck had a daughter named Dorothy Joy - named for her grandmother. Jonathan transitioned on September 20, 2019. His father and oldest brother, Rev. Stephen Madry Peck Sr., and Stephen, Jr., predeceased him. He is survived by his mother, Dr. Dorothy Adams Peck; his younger brother, George Madry Peck; and his daughter, Dorothy Joy Peck of St. Petersburg, Florida. He is also survived by his aunts, Thennye Adams, Atlanta, GA; Elenora Adams, Waycross, GA; Jean Adams, Baltimore, MD; and Inez Adams, Sacramento, CA, a host of cousins in the Peck and Adams families, and lifelong friends from the AME Church and Morehouse College.