MALCOLM L. PEEL

Malcom “Mack” Peel, 89, passed away on the morning of September 9, 2025, in Oberlin, Ohio, with his wife and son at his side, following a long battle with chronic pulmonary disease.

Born in 1936 in Jeffersonville, Indiana, to USAR Col. Frank Peel and Ella Peel, Mack spent the last three decades of his life in Lorain County, Ohio. He is survived by his beloved wife of more than 65 years, Ruth Ann; his daughter Noel; his son Drew and daughter-in-law Donna, and their sons (and Mack’s grandsons) Michael and David.

Mack’s academic path began at Indiana University, where he earned his BA, followed by a Master of Theology from Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary, and both a Master’s and Doctorate from Yale University. While at Yale, he joined the U.S. Translation Team for the Nag Hammadi Coptic Gnostic Codices—a significant collection of early Christian and Gnostic manuscripts discovered in Egypt in 1954. His translation of one of these ancient texts was later published and can still be found in major libraries across the country. His scholarship on Gnosticism earned national recognition and support from distinguished institutions, including the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Fulbright Program, and the American Council of Learned Societies.

After being ordained by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and completing graduate school, Mack dedicated much of his professional life to teaching—first as a professor at Lycoming College in Pennsylvania, then at Coe College in Iowa, and finally at Agnes Scott College in Georgia. He also served as an adjunct professor at the University of Iowa and Emory University.

Never one to shy away from new challenges, Mack stepped away from teaching to serve as a National Endowment Director for the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library in West Branch, Iowa. In 1989, he left teaching and transitioned into nonprofit leadership, serving as Executive Director of the Cedar Rapids Community Foundation (IA), the Community Foundation of Greater Lorain County (OH), and the Truman Heartland Community Foundation (MO). He later concluded his professional career as Director of Development for the Fairview-Lutheran Foundation (OH). Across these roles, he helped grow charitable endowments by more than $80 million and supported countless nonprofits through strategic grantmaking.

Throughout his life, Mack remained deeply involved in the Presbyterian Church, supplying pulpits on an interim basis, and holding leadership positions, including Moderator of the Administrative Ministry Trustees of the Presbytery of the Western Reserve and serving on several national church committees. After retiring from non-profit work in 2002, he served as full-time interim minister at First United Presbyterian Church in Elyria, and later at Heritage Presbyterian Church in Amherst.

Mack’s public service extended beyond his professional roles. Inspired by his daughter Noel, he became a passionate advocate for individuals with mental illness. Her life and experiences deeply influenced his commitment to strengthening both public policy and institutional support for those with mental health needs. He served on both state and local boards of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) in Ohio and on the Board of The Nord Center for Mental Health in Lorain.

After moving to Kendal at Oberlin in 2017, Mack remained intellectually and spiritually engaged. He taught a weekly Bible study course, pursued painting, and participated in a dead languages club—a testament to his enduring love of learning and community.

Above all else, Mack treasured his strong, loving, and enduring partnership with Ruth Ann—also a teacher, his wife, best friend, and companion through every chapter of life. Their relationship was the foundation of everything he did. Family meant everything to Mack, and he dedicated himself to preserving its legacy through interviews, photos, and shared memories. He rarely missed a meaningful event in his children’s or grandsons’ lives, and he found deep joy in simply being present with those he loved.

Mack was a lifelong fly fisherman, a passion he shared with his son for decades, and more recently with his grandsons. Together, they spent countless peaceful days on rivers and trout streams, including the Madison River in Montana and the White River in Arkansas. In more recent years, he delighted in teaching his grandsons the art of casting a fly, patiently passing on both skills and stories. He also was a longtime member of and frequent visitor to the Rockwell Springs Trout Club in Castalia, Ohio.

A memorial service will be held in Mack’s honor at Kendal at Oberlin (600 Kendal Drive; Oberlin, OH 44074) on Saturday, November 1, 2025 at 2:00 P.M., with a reception to be held thereafter. The service will be recorded and available for download afterwards, and further details are available on this website. Finally, the family has asked that in lieu of flowers, any gifts honoring Mack be made to a charitable cause he supports, and once again, those details can be found elsewhere on this website.

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