Wesley Peoples

April 3, 1940 – February 20, 2025

Norman Wesley Peoples, 84, of Holderness, was born April 3, 1940, in Boston Hospital to Margaret and Norman Peoples. He passed away peacefully the morning of Feb. 20, 2025, at Speare Memorial Hospital of natural causes.

He is survived by his loving wife Suzanne Peoples; his children Elisabeth "Liz" Peoples and Wesley "Alex" Peoples; stepchildren Sara Weinberg and Benjamin Enticknap.

Beneath a sometimes seemingly tough exterior, the true Wes was a very compassionate man, especially toward animals and people he considered friends. He was extremely resourceful and excelled in the value of making real connections with people. Mostly self-educated and a history buff to the fullest, he was a living encyclopedia of information with extremely fast reading and comprehension skills. He lived life with a strong work ethic. “If you don’t work, you don’t eat.” Wes liked a nice meal so he worked hard.

Raised in Natick, Massachusetts, he spoke fondly of memories hunting and trapping in the woods and fields of a then more rural Natick, as well as his father’s apple orchard where they would graft apple trees and bring the harvest to the city for sale. The family would travel north to Holderness, with frequency visiting Squam Lake and close family friends. There Wes explored the lake and learned to water ski at a young age, something he would later encourage his children to do. He had a real appreciation for nature and wildlife, always having a hunting license though he stated he would rather just watch the animals than shoot them.

Wes went into the Army at age 18 in 1958, spending most of his term of service in Germany. In Germany, he took full advantage of any time away from his duties exploring and sightseeing Europe. Stationed in Heilbron is where he met his first wife Erika, who would come back to the States with him after his service was concluded. He learned to speak and write in German fluently. Erika and Wes “parted company” (divorced) several years later.

Back in the United States and out of the Army, he would take over the responsibility of his father’s commercial laundry. Here it was said that there could be three languages being yelled across the floor at any time by German, Italian and English speakers working in the laundry. This was his real immersion to workings of the laundry industry.

Wes closed the laundry in the late '70s, and he made the transition into the rubbish business, starting his company named Cape Cod and Cape-way (C.C. & C.). Doing anything with a truck for a buck and eventually brokering deals on laundry equipment transitioned into his rigging company known only by the acronym.

Wes met his wife and partner until the end, Suzanne. Wes and Suzanne married in 1986, and had their son Alex in 1987. They moved from their home in Falmouth, Massachusetts, to his late parents’ lakeside home in Holderness, on Squam Lake where they would raise their son. They purchased the “farmhouse” on Route 3 in Holderness that would serve as the shop and office of C.C. & C. Riggers, eventually becoming their permanent home.

Wes was an expert in the laundry industry. In his business that he built he would advise, buy, sell, transport and install necessary equipment needed for commercial laundries. His business was focused on the eastern seaboard but also included flying, or multi-day tractor trailer trips with his team of riggers for jobs all over the country. He brokered equipment deals domestically and abroad, networking and building genuine relationships in an industry and time where the internet and emails were not prevalent, and a fax machine was cutting edge.

Wes instilled the values of keeping in touch with those you care about. He stood his ground and spoke his mind when he felt he needed to, and was a solace when you needed it the most or least expected it, depending on his mood. He would break tension with a joke and speak with confidence. He was full of surprises, often remembering something you said when you didn’t think he was actually listening, or recalling a situation or words spoken with great detail long after.

Wes would make a friend and tell a story anywhere he wanted to try.

The family thanks the attentive staff of Speare Memorial Hospital for their excellent care and compassion, and the selfless work of Holderness fire and EMS, along with the neighbors and friends who were there for Wes and the family when in need.

Wes had asked to be buried in a private plot alongside his golden retriever who passed several years ago, Satchel Paige. A remembrance will be announced shortly. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made by way of biscuits or table scraps to the closest four-legged companion.