Christine Ahlgren Peck

Local resident Christine Ahlgren Peck died June 20 after a battle with

cancer. She was 56.

Friends say Ms. Peck will be remembered for her enthusiasm, generous

spirit and unique sense of humor. Her career as a medical administrator

in the Newport and Huntington Beach areas spanned 25 years, during which

she shared her gift to motivate and encourage those who worked for and

with her.

Despite reoccurring bouts with cancer, Ms. Peck refused to slow down and,

in fact, had an even greater zeal for living life to the fullest and

inspiring those around her, friends say.

During a visit to the Hoag Cancer Center, she noticed people having

difficulty accessing the entrance to the building because of the

landscaping and parking design. Ms. Peck wrote a letter to Hoag’s

administrator, addressing her concern for patients negotiating their

“cross-country route” to the center’s entrance. Soon thereafter, she

received notification that a walkway would be built because of her

letter.

Ms. Peck touched the lives of those who knew and loved her as well as

those who appreciated her behind-the-scenes acts of kindness. She was

awarded the Susan G. Komen Most Inspirational Survivor Award in 1998 in

recognition of her ability to raise the spirits and morale of cancer

survivors, and their friends and families.

Ms. Peck is survived by her daughter, Heather Peck of Newport Beach; her

brother, Hugh Coughlin of Mill Valley, and her mother, Olga Finnell of

Spokane, Wash.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to: The Christine Peck Memorial

Fund, c/o Union Bank, 396 Superior Ave., Newport Beach 92663. This fund

will be used to purchase a park bench in her honor.