One of Southern California’s true coin-op shakers and movers, Dave Peck, has died the day after his 71st birthday after suffering an accident at a Pacific Ocean marina dock while tending his boat on Saturday, Sept. 25. The freak accident has taken one half of the region’s famous Peck brothers whose Family Amusement Corp. created and runs one of SoCal’s largest street routes, as well as the famed Family Arcade on Los Angeles’ Vermont Avenue
Dave and his brother Harry founded the business back in 1972, meaning the brothers would have celebrated the company’s 50th anniversary next year. The businesss has also included retail rentals and equipment sales to homeowners and to the Hollywood movie and TV studios.
Services took place on Monday Sept. 27 at Mount Sinai Memorial Park at which a huge crowd of family members, friends and employees gather to bid farewell to this genuine icon of coin-op. The rabbi who spoke during the eulogy said, “Dave spent his life very richly,” and listening to the other words shared, it was clear that in addition to his role in the Peck family that made up Family Amusement, he was more important as a brother, father, grandfather and friend.
Said Harry, “He was my soulmate. We were like one.” The brothers were incredibly close and at work, their desks were next to each other. They drove the same kind of cars and their Social Security and phone numbers were just one digit different. Closing his remarks, Harry said, “I know I will never get over the passing of my brother and best friend.”