Ruth Peck

Legislative Resolution

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Biographical Information

HOUSE RESOLUTION 2006
A RESOLUTION PAYING TRIBUTE TO THE HONORABLE RUTH PECK ON HER RETIREMENT AND EXPRESSING APPRECIATION FOR HER OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND TO THE STATE OF ARIZONA.

For eighteen consecutive years the Arizona House of Representatives has been honored and graced by the presence of the Honorable Ruth Peck.  This long period of dedicated service comes to an end with Mrs. Peck's retirement at the end of 1976.

A native of Denton, Texas, Ruth Peck became a resident of Arizona in 1936 after attending North Texas State University and the University of California at Los Angeles.  Mrs. Peck also attended Arizona State University.  She worked as a teacher and insurance underwriter.

Mrs. Peck has performed countless public services of great significance and enduring value as a community leader.  She was a board member of the Arizona Girls Ranch for many years, a member of the Girls Ranch Auxiliary a member of the Auxiliary of Good Samaritan Hospital, vice-president of the Central Republican Club, a member of the State Federation of Republican Women and past national president and member of the board of the Organization of Women Legislators.

In addition to her devotion and service to the community, she is also a dedicated religious leader.  She is a member of the official board of the First United Methodist Church, an officer in the Women's Society of Christian Service and active in the adult church school and the adult interest class in her church.

First elected to the Twenty-fourth Legislature in 1958 and reelected to eight more terms, Mrs. Peck has earned the love, respect and admiration of her constituents and all her fellow members in the House of Representatives.  She has served with distinction on numerous committees including Commerce and Industry, Education, Governmental Relations, Judiciary, Natural Resources, Planning and Development, Public Institutions, Rules, State Government and Suffrage and Elections.  She was chairman of the Tourist and Industry Development Committee for two years and vice-chairman of the Highways and Bridges Committee for four years.  For the past ten years she has been selected by four different speakers of the House of Representatives to serve as chairman of the Transportation Committee.  She has performed this task brilliantly, guiding legislation and other legislators, always being willing to share her wealth of experience and knowledge.

Mrs. Peck has always been an articulate spokeswoman and although well-versed an all legislative matters, her particular interests throughout the years have included the problems of youth, drug abuse, savings to taxpayers, the betterment of home and family and the streamlining of state government.

Filed in the Office of the Secretary of State - June 28, 1976.

The following is from the Legislative death resolution:

The Honorable Ruth Peck passed away on February 26, 1996 at the age of ninety-four in San Antonio, Texas.

A native of Denton, Texas, Ruth Peck moved to Arizona from California in 1936 where she distinguished herself as an outstanding businesswoman and civic leader.  A former teacher, insurance underwriter and businesswoman, she was elected to the Arizona House of 'Representatives in 1958.  During nearly twenty years as a member of the Legislature, Ruth Peck diligently served her constituents and the State of Arizona as an outspoken advocate of such causes as the vehicle emissions testing program and a law requiring motorcyclists to wear helmets.  Chairwoman of the Highways and Transportation Committee for nearly a decade, she was instrumental in establishing emissions testing in this state and later fighting a proposal to repeal the program.  In addition to her work on the Transportation Committee, Ruth Peck also served admirably on the Governmental Relations, Commerce and Industry, Banking and Insurance, Natural Resources and Rules Committees.

In addition to her service in the Arizona Legislature, Ruth Peck gave selflessly of her time and energy to numerous community and professional activities.  She was appointed to the National Traffic Safety Advisory Committee by President Richard Nixon in 1972 and served as president and vice president of the National Order of Women Legislators and as the Arizona representative to the Western Conference on State Governments on Transportation Ruth Peck also served admirably as a member of the Republican Federation Clubs of Arizona, the board of Girls Ranch of Arizona and the board of the First United Methodist Church.

Employment

Arizona Legislative Service

Sources

Birth: Arizona Legislative Biography sheet, parents:  Isaac Wilson and Lillie Mae (George) Thomason; Death: obituary:  Tammy Thomas.  "Ruth Peck, Touted Emissions Tests."  The Arizona Republic, March 2, 1996, p. CL46, Legislative death resolution; Occupation(s):  Arizona Legislative Biography sheet