Homer and Ruth Peeples – Benefactors of St. John’s Church

On Sunday, November 2, 2025, St. John’s Church unveiled a memorial plaque in honor of Homer Peeples, Jr., his wife, Ruth Johnson Peeples, and their son, Homer Peeples III, who predeceased them. We give thanks for their lives and for their lasting legacy among us.

Homer began his career with his father at Peeples Industries. Ruth was very active in the community, serving on a number of boards, including the Froebel Circle, Bethesda Academy, Savannah Art Association, Telfair Museum of Art and others.  They both loved the outdoor life of the Coastal South.  Homer was a devoted sportsman, and in 1941, as a member of the Savannah High School rifle team, he set the U.S. national record in .22-calibre marksmanship—a record that remained unbroken at the time of his death. Ruth, in her youth, danced as a Rockette at Radio City Music Hall in New York. She, too, was an excellent shot. Together, they were well-known figures in Savannah’s sporting community, especially in dove and quail season, and loved the outdoor life of the Coastal south. 

Ruth died in 2015 and Homer in 2019. Through their estate, they endowed the Homer and Ruth Peeples Foundation for the benefit of St. John’s Church, with a particular focus on the maintenance, repair, and improvement of the church’s historic buildings. Their foresight and generosity stand alongside that of other notable benefactors who have strengthened this parish across the generations.

We honor their memory with deep gratitude, and we pray that their legacy will continue to support the worship and witness of St. John’s Church for many years to come.