James H. McPeak

James Hayes McPeak, 94 years old, died peacefully on May 25th, 2025, at his home in Bethlehem, PA.

James (Jim), son of Vincent Joseph McPeak and Bertha Friedrike McPeak (neé Kuppinger) was born in Cheltenham, PA on February 15th, 1931, the third of eight children. He attended Presentation BVM elementary school in Cheltenham, St Mark’s school in Bristol, and St. Joseph’s Preparatory High School, graduating in June 1948. At St. Joseph’s Prep he was an accomplished swimmer and diver, earning his varsity letter and a scholarship to LaSalle College. Unable to use the scholarship due to family commitments, he served in the United States Air Force from 1951 to 1955, rising to the rank of Staff Sergeant and receiving a Good Conduct Medal. He then attended St. Joseph’s College in Philadelphia on the GI Bill, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in biology in 1961. He worked for the John Hancock Insurance Company from 1961-1967, and as a foreman building the St Joseph’s Villa in Flourtown from 1967-1968.  The remainder of his career was spent at Bell Telephone of Pennsylvania / Bell Atlantic as a marketing manager for Centrex, retiring in 1993. 

Jim married Concetta (Connie) DeLuca McPeak in 1957 and was a loving husband to her for 49 years until her passing in 2006.  He was married to his second wife, Kathleen (Ferguson) McPeak for 12 years until her passing in 2024.  He is survived by his three children, Ursula McPeak Tomlinson (Andrew), Christopher McPeak (Christine) and Gregory McPeak (Yvonne), as well as six grandchildren: Graham, Maeve, Anna, Isabel, Brian and Jack. He was delighted to meet his first great granddaughter, Laine, and great step-granddaughter, Astrud, during the 2024 Christmas holiday. He is also survived by his sister, Marcella (McPeak) Labosky as well as many loving nieces and nephews.

Jim enjoyed his three years as a diving coach at Somerton Springs Swim club in the early 1970s, where he was able to teach another generation how to perfect a simple back dive or pull off a one-and-a-half somersault. His students appreciated his ability to push them while not being too exacting. Thankfully, he never pushed his children to embrace his love of diving, allowing them to pursue their own passions.

Jim was a lover of classical music and opera. He started listening to opera as a 7-year-old while convalescing from an appendectomy, and was an avid aficionado until the day of his death. His knowledge of opera was impressive, and he was very excited when his daughter moved to New York City because it meant he could attend the Metropolitan Opera regularly for the first time in his life. He instilled a lifelong love of classical music in his children: their recollections of him include listening to the live broadcast of the Texaco Opera on the radio while watching football games on TV, or in the car each Saturday afternoon.

Jim’s other love was being at the family beach house in Ocean City, New Jersey. Any sunny day would find him sitting on the beach or the deck perfecting his tan, while the evenings would find him enjoying a perfect Manhattan (or two) before dinner with family and friends followed by a cigar and a single malt scotch on the deck afterwards.

Most of all, Jim was a captivating storyteller. Whether he was telling about his days growing up in Bristol PA (Jimmy Long), his time with the Jesuits at Saint Joe’s Prep (part of the Mumbles Trio), serving at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas (“Full Bird Colonel/tiger by the pool”), or the many other unforgettable events he’d witnessed or heard about (let it happen captain), we all enjoyed listening to them no matter how many times we’d heard them before. These are cherished moments we all will miss. 

A funeral mass will be held on August 21, 2025, at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church, 259 Forest Ave, Ambler, PA 19002. Visitation at 9:15am to 10:15am and mass at 10:30am. 

Interment will be private.

Arrangements by John J. Bryers Funeral Home, 215-659-1630, www.bryersfh.com 

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