Virgil Eugene Peel

Virgil Eugene Peel age 84 of Batesville died Saturday, July 19, 2014 in Batesville. Virgil was born September 17, 1929 at Jamestown, Arkansas to Gilmore Virgil (Cap) Peel and Elmira Magouyrk Peel. Virgil was a 1947 graduate of Desha High School and attended Arkansas College, now Lyon College. He was a veteran of the Arkansas National Guard and the U.S. Army Air Corp. After several years of military service, Virgil was employed by Boeing Aircraft Company in Wichita, Kansas, where he still has many wonderful friends. At Boeing, Virgil served for many years as a Supervising Manager in Boeing’s Quality Assurance Department. He traveled extensively, both in the U.S. and overseas working on numerous projects for Boeing. He received several commendations from the company for his work on retrofitting B-52 Bombers and in the construction of Air Force One. During his years in Wichita, Virgil was the guitar player for the “Nit-Pickers” country-western band which played many charitable and civic events. In December 1989, Virgil married his high school sweetheart, Hazel, and in 1991 they retired to Batesville. During retirement they enjoyed traveling with friends and family to Hawaii, Alaska, Yellowstone, Branson and the Deep South. Virgil was a member of the Board of Directors of the Batesville Country Club and played golf at every opportunity. He hit a hole-in-one at the Country Club on August 29, 1992 and was an active volunteer and participant at many local and state-wide golf tournaments. He was selected by the Arkansas State Golf Association to be a golf course rater for several years. He attended West Baptist Church in Batesville for 22 years. He will be fondly remembered by his family and numerous friends for his great sense of humor, his enthusiasm for golf and country music and his love of animals. Virgil was a true friend to every cat and dog in the neighborhood. He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister Nomia Peel Schurwan. Survivors include his wife of 24 years, Hazel Weaver Peel; a daughter, Rhona Temple of Little Rock; a son, Randy Weaver of Salado; a granddaughter, Chelsea Varnell of Batesville and great granddaughter, Laiken Varnell of Batesville; several cousins and a host of other relatives and friends. Funeral services will be Tuesday, July 22, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. at the Qualls Batesville Funeral Service Chapel in Batesville with Bro. Bob Dailey and Bro. Cory Majors officiating. Burial will follow in the Oaklawn Cemetery located in Batesville with arrangements by Qualls Batesville Funeral Service of Batesville. Visitation will be Tuesday, July 22, 2014 from 10:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. service time at the funeral home. Honorary pallbearers are George Kephart, Bob Gammon, Nick Nickolson, Bobby Claborn, Bill Luster, Clifton Clark, Bill Campbell, The Adult III Men’s Class of West Baptist Church and all the great neighbors in the College Heights Neighborhood in Batesville.