Horace Starr Peet, Horace, (1919-1991)

Horace S. Peet had a span of 37 years of service and as a leader for Missouri dairying. His career was marked by his enthusiasm to work at all times in cooperation with his associates in behalf of the dairy industry and the community.

Horace was born January 13, 1919 at Kent, Connecticut. His parents were Frank H. and Clara B. Peet. They were dairy farmers and Horace grew up helping his parents with their producer-distributor business. He graduated from the University of Connecticut, Storrs, in 1940 with a B.S. Degree in dairy science and then followed a year of graduate work at Pennsylvania State University. He was in the U.S. Air Force during World War II, involved in warfare training, where he rose to the rank of Captain. On March 19, 1945 he married Nancy Pile in Venice, Florida. The couple has two daughters, Susan Nichols and Peggy Rosson, both of Columbia, and six grandchildren.

Following military service Horace came to Missouri to work as the County Agent in Ralls County (New London, MO) where he served for three years. He moved from that position to become Superintendent of the Hatch Dairy Experimental Farm at Hannibal. The Hatch Farm was the former home of U.S. Congressman William Henry hatch who is commonly known as “The Father of the Agricultural Experiment Stations” due to the many bills he introduced in Congress in behalf of agriculture 1878-1894. The farm was donated to the state by Congressman Hatch’s heirs and was set up as a dairy experiment station, sponsored by the State of Missouri-MO College of Agriculture and the United States Department of Agriculture as a memorial to Mr. Hatch who had maintained a fine head of Jerseys on the farm. Mr. Peet served as the superintendent for 19 years – until the project was dis­ continued. He then was transferred to the University of Missouri, Columbia, as an Associate Professor, Department of Dairy Husbandry. In this capacity he was involved in many dairy and farm projects for the college. In 1970-71 he provided much time and labor in getting the Missouri Dairy Hall of Honors room fitting up and underway. He re­ tired in 1984.

Horace took an active part in dairy and community affairs in Marion and surrounding countries. He was a member of American Legion post 202; Past Master of Masonic Lodge No. 188 in Hannibal Past President of the Hannibal Kiwanis Club and Past President of the Hannibal Chamber of Commerce. He was active in the Methodist Church and was a member of Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity.