Longtime funeral director dies

Longtime funeral director Hugh Hiram Peeler, known for the compassion he gave to the families he served, died of congestive heart failure Thursday morning at his home. He was 90.

Peeler, who was born in Jackson County but grew up in Athens, owned Bridges Funeral Home, the oldest independently owned mortuary business in Clarke County. Weaver Bridges started the funeral home in 1926, and Peeler began working with there in 1939, taking ownership of the business in 1965, eight years after Bridges died.

Peeler remained an active funeral director up until about two months before he died, employee Sean Clark said.

"I believe he was the oldest active funeral director in Georgia," Clark said. "He was at every funeral Bridges did up until June 5."

That June day -- Peeler's birthday -- he fell and broke his leg, an injury that confined him to a wheelchair, Clarke said.

Directing each funeral, Peeler was meticulous about getting each service right, Clark said.

"He had a checklist he went by for every funeral, and it had to be filled out and everybody had to initial it to indicate they had read it and understood," Clark said.

Peeler also showed a lot of concern for the grieving families, Clark said.

"He did have a heart about it, and really cared for the families that he served," Clark said.

Danny Baugh, another Bridges emp