Karl O'Brien Peschel

Karl O’Brien Peschel passed away after a hard-fought battle with pancreatic cancer, surrounded by his family on March 22, 2021.  He was born on June 7, 1959, in Bellville, Texas, to Wilfred J. Peschel, Sr., and Mary Kathryn “Kay” Sothern Peschel.  Karl was a seventh-generation Texan starting with Absolom Jesse Winfree and George O’Brien of Chambers County.  Karl lived in Industry, Texas, where he attended West End Elementary School, and graduated from Bellville High School.  Karl married the love of his life, Peggy Anne Arning, on July 7, 1979.  Karl and Peggy raised two wonderful children, Holly Kay Peschel Bass and Wesley O’Brien Peschel.

Karl worked hard all his life.  His working career began with helping his daddy in the hay fields as a teenager, then he joined the Arning Well Service crew and worked for many years as a driller on a workover rig, then he began working for Valmont as a maintenance tech for over 29 years.  He helped keep all the machinery running smoothly at the plant in Brenham.  He really loved working on machinery and was good at it too.  He could fix just about anything.  When Karl got off work and in his spare time, he raised beautiful cattle, many of which he named—these were his “babies”, raked and baled hay alongside his brother Bill until his passing in 2018, then with the help of his son Wesley and son-in-law Kevin, cut wood (reportedly to keep in shape), and many other things throughout his life.  He was always busy working on things, building things, providing for his family.  He enjoyed hunting in the Hill Country at his deer lease and fishing at his place in Sargent.  And most of all he enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren, Grace, Drew, Ella, and Nelson, and step-grandchildren Skylar and Kip.  Family time was very important to Karl, and when he became ill, his family rallied around him and supported him throughout this difficult journey.

Karl is survived by his wife Peggy Anne Arning Peschel, daughter Holly Kay Peschel Bass (Kevin), son Wesley O’Brien Peschel (Amanda), grandchildren Grace Anne Bass, Drew Douglas Bass, Ella Kay Peschel, Nelson O’Brien Peschel, step-grandchildren Skylar Dawn Kruse and Kip Mason Kruse, sister Debra Ann Peschel Kollman (Dale), brother John Dean Peschel, mother in law Loretta Arning, brother in law Terry Otto Wiktorik, sister in law Linda Mikeska Peschel, sister in law Patsy Anne Pepper (Pat), and brother in law Wayne Allen Arning (Debbie), as well as many nieces and nephews, and many dear friends.

Karl was preceded in death by his parents, Wilfred and Kay Peschel, brother Wilfred “Bill” Peschel, Jr., sister Wanda Kay Peschel Wiktorik, father-in-law Arthur Arning, and nephews Sydney Duane Pepper and Benjamin Garrett Arning.

Pallbearers:  Brian Duve, Charlie Tallerine, Steven Gurka, Joseph Tallerine, Mike Davis, Jacob Tallerine, Reese Raeke, and Kitt Kollman.

Honorary Pallbearers:  Delphine Merkel, John Peschel, Dale Kollman, Terry Wiktorik, Eldred McClenton (Bear), and all coworkers at Valmont Industries.

Friends who wish may make memorial gifts to either:

Amedisys Hospice
226 South Live Oak Steet
Bellville, Texas 77418

or to the:

Wilfred Peschel Scholarship Fund
21068 FM 1094
New Ulm, Texas 78950