TOPSHAM — James Daniel Peacock (Dan) died April 2nd, 2016 at his home in Topsham, Maine. He was 85 years old and survived by his loving wife, Joan Vandenburg Peacock, and his four daughters and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, all of whom shared his summer home, known as Peacock Crossing in Small Point.

Although most of his working life was spent in Maryland, where he was raised by his parents Lawrence and Esther Peacock, he was born in Moorestown, New Jersey but was educated at Baltimore Friends School after his parents moved to Maryland. The Peacocks were devoted Quakers, and Dan served many Quaker organizations, including trustee, vice chairman, and chairman of the Sheppard Pratt Health Systems, 1970-1997, the foremost mental health organization in the state of Maryland providing in and out patient care throughout the state.

Dan’s working life aside from his Quaker involvement was spent as a trial lawyer with the firm of Semmes, Bowen, and Semmes, in Baltimore, from where he moved to Towson, Maryland as managing partner of their Towson office. Upon retirement, Dan and Joan moved to Maine, wintering in Topsham and summering in Small Point. The Peacock’s Maine connections began when Dan’s family operated the Alliquippa summer camp in Small Point, and included their involvement with the Small Point Summer School, The Small Point Club, and The Small Point Association. Dan relied on his legal training to assist the Association with public access issues involving the Small Point Beach (Seawall).

Dan’s legal training began at Maryland Law School where he was educated after serving in the US army as a physical training instructor. He was an All-American lacrosse player at Duke University where he received an athletic scholarship. At the Maryland Law School he graduated with honors (Order of the Coif), and his legal career included becoming a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers where he served as Chair of Maryland State Committee. After retiring from the active practice of law, he assisted the Hartford Friends School with the acquisition of property for the site of a new school. Dan spent his last Quaker years attending the Brunswick Friends Meeting with his wife, Joan, and his surviving sister, Renear Kamphausen.

In addition to Dan’s many contributions to a broader community, he will be remembered as a loving, kind, and generous husband, father, and friend to many. His sense of humor, spunk, and enthusiasm for life brightened everyone’s day, and his love of music, sport, and cooking was contagious. He loved children and fishing and taught many a young person to catch and clean their own dinner. And for those youngsters lucky enough to be his offspring, a special essence of Dan has been planted, like a seed, to grow and be passed on to lucky generations for eternity.