We honor here members, friends and supporters of the American Council of the Blind who have impacted our lives in many wonderful ways. If you would like to submit a notice for this column, please include as much of the following information as possible.
Name (first, last, maiden if appropriate)
City of residence (upon passing)
State/province of residence (upon passing)
Other cities/states/countries of residence (places where other blind people may have known this person)
Occupation
Date of death (day if known, month, year)
Age
ACB affiliation (local/state/special-interest affiliates or national committees)
Deaths that occurred more than six months ago cannot be reported in this column.
Freddie Lilly Peaco
December 3, 1940 – September 1, 2023
Freddie Peaco was born and raised in Wadesboro, N.C. After losing her vision, Ms. Peaco attended the school for the blind in Raleigh, N.C.
After high school, she enrolled in Howard University. She graduated in 1965 with a double major in sociology and psychology. Freddie went on to earn a master’s degree in public relations and journalism from American University.
During her freshman year at Howard, she met her future husband, James W. Peaco Jr. They were married in June 1967. James passed away in August of 2016.
She was an active member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Xi Zeta Omega Chapter.
She said, “I think it was my master’s degree that helped me to get a job at the Library of Congress. I began in the Division of Blind Services and over the years I was promoted and retired after 49 years.”
She worked the longest period of time in the Reference Section of the Library of Congress, National Library Service, where her strengths were researching information and answering questions for patrons.
As a result of her work at the Library of Congress, Freddie became acquainted with the American Council of the Blind. She joined the D.C. Council of the Blind in the 1980s, and served as president from 2018 through 2020.
She retired from the Library of Congress, National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped in 2009.
She was a longtime member of Northeastern Presbyterian Church, where she was ordained as an elder.
She lived her life determined to overcome obstacles and serve the community. She was driven to ensure that the blind and physically handicapped had opportunity and ability to survive and contribute to society.
She is survived by her son, James W. Peaco III and his wife Laura; four grandchildren – Danielle, Rachael, Niall, and Niamh; and many other family members and dear friends.