Max Milburn "Mel" Pehl

Max Milburn Pehl (Mel), age 93, died on May 9, 2011, following a stroke. Born in Kansas City, Missouri, on August 18, 1917, Mel was a resident of Penny Retirement Community in Penney Farms, Florida, at the time of his death. He was the youngest child of Max W. Pehl and Grace Hill Pehl. His brother, Clifford Pehl, predeceased him and his sister, Gertrude Innes of Warrensburg, Missouri, will celebrate her 100th birthday this year. Following his graduation from Westport High School in Kansas City, he attended Kansas City Junior College and later graduated from the University of Illinois with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. As a conscientious objector, Mel served in the Civilian Public Service (CPS) in Florida from 1941 to 1945, where he met his sweetheart, Dorothy (Dot) Caswell. They were married in 1946. After completing his CPS service, Mel returned to school and earned a Master of Arts in International Relations from the University of Chicago. He and Dot eventually moved to Washington, D.C. where Mel took a job as a Development Loan Officer with the Agency for International Development (AID). He served in the region of Near-East/South Asia during his 29-year tenure with AID. In addition to his wife of 64 years, he is survived by his daughter Wendy Pehl Minnix and her husband Michael Minnix, of Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and his daughter Cynthia Pehl and her husband Douglas Metz of Eldersburg, Maryland. Another daughter, Bonnie Elaine Pehl, died in childhood of Leukemia. Mel is also survived by two grandchildren, James Minnix and Kelly Minnix and five step grandchildren, Karl Metz, Blake Metz, Luke Metz, Mark Metz and Emily Metz. In addition he is survived by six step great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. Mel and his family lived in Karachi, Pakistan from 1962 to 1964. They returned to the Washington, D.C. area, where from 1965 to 1980 they lived in Bethesda, Maryland. Mel and Dot were active members of Bethesda United Church of Christ. Following his retirement in 1980, Mel and Dot moved to Melrose, Florida, where they enjoyed fishing and boating on the Santa Fe Lake, entertaining family and friends and traveling around the world. Although retirement had taken them from the world’s political hub—the Washington-Metropolitan area—Mel continued to maintain an active interest in world issues, including world peace, which lead him to a central role in the local Great Decisions discussion group for a number of years. He was an active member and leader in the Keystone United Methodist Church prior to their move to Penney Retirement Community in 2003. In every place he lived, Mel was concerned for the needs of persons in poverty. He donated generously to many charitable causes, wrote numerous letters to the President and Members of Congress and eventually chose his PRC volunteer project—the PET Project at Penney Retirement Community. (PET assembles personal transportation vehicles to be shipped to persons with disabilities located in poorer nations.) At age 82, Mel took up golf (a late start for a man actually named after a golf course!) and enjoyed playing regularly at the course in Penney Farms. A Memorial Service is planned for Saturday, June 4, 2011 at 10:30 am at the Penney Memorial Church located in Penney Retirement Community. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to PET Florida Penney Farms (www.petflorida.org). Please sign the family’s online guest book at www.broadusraines.com. Cremation arrangements are under the care of Broadus-Raines Funeral Home, 501 Spring Street, Green Cove Springs, FL (904) 284-4000.