W.C. Peinhardt (William Carl) passed away on April 20, 2024. He was 97 years old.
A true son of Cullman County, he was born to A.H. and Hattie (Voigt) Peinhardt on
December 8, 1926, in Cullman. After her husband's death, Hattie bought land to farm in
Johnson's Crossing near her own family's farm and built a house in 1936. Apart from his time in
Auburn and the army, W.C. lived in that same house until he died there, surrounded by children
and grandchildren.
He graduated from Hanceville High School in 1944 and spent a year at Alabama
Polytechnic Institute (later renamed Auburn University) before being drafted into the U.S. Army
during WWII. After serving in Namur, Belgium, W.C. came back home and completed two
years at St. Bernard in Cullman before heading back to API where he earned his degree in
Agricultural Engineering in 1950.
He began his career at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville with Wernher von Braun's new
rocket development team where he helped test the German V-1 and V-2 rocket equipment to see
how it performed in humid Southeast conditions. When an opening became available at Greif
Bros. Corporation in Cullman in 1951, W.C. jumped on the chance to drop the daily commute to
Huntsville because he knew he would never leave his beloved farm. He retired from Greif Bros.
in 1993 as VP of Engineering.
W.C. married Dorothea McNutt of Hanceville on April 4, 1951, and she helped him
discover what became his true joy in life: family. He and Dot had six children who, in turn, gave
them ten grandchildren. The grandkids loved visiting the farm, where Mamaw and Papaw
created wonderful memories with tractor rides, bonfires, and the occasional ice cream for
breakfast. Mostly, though, they fostered a deep love of family. Dot died too soon in 2010 and
never met their two great-grandchildren, who brought much joy to W.C.'s life.
He served in numerous capacities at Christ Lutheran, the church his father helped
establish and where five generations have worshiped. He was elected to the board of the
Cullman County Commission on Education from 1966-1971 and was chairman for the 1970-
1971 term, and he served his community for years as a member of the Hanceville Lion's Club.
In 1950, he had the distinction of being Cullman's last Strawberry King.
W.C. is survived by his children and their spouses: Al and Cathy Peinhardt of Gearhart,
Oregon; Mary Jo and Richard Lakin of Hanceville; Bill and Julie Peinhardt of Cheshire,
Connecticut; Cindy and Robert Gonstad of Hanceville; Chris and Thomas Gropp of Rochester
Hills, Michigan; and Amy and Bill Harley of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. His grandchildren
are Patrick Wisener of Cullman; Andrew Wisener of Hanceville; Ryan Peinhardt (Jasmine) of
Raleigh, North Carolina; Matthew Peinhardt of Seaside, Oregon; Beth Gonstad Stevens
(Matthew) of Madison; Kate Gonstad Esteves (Frank) of Harvest; Katherine Peinhardt of
Freiburg, Germany; Christopher Peinhardt of Savannah, Georgia; Max Harley of Greenville,
South Carolina; and Grant Harley of Clemson, South Carolina. Great-grandchildren are Zoey
Wisener (Andrew) and Alder Stevens (Beth).
The visitation and service will be held Saturday, April 27, at Christ Lutheran Church: 424
2nd Avenue SE in Cullman. Visitation will be from Noon-2:00 p.m. with service beginning at
2:00 p.m. Interment will be immediately following at Hopewell Cemetery in Hanceville.
Arrangements are by Hanceville Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Christ Lutheran Church
(PO Box 974, Cullman, AL 35056) or the Peinhardt Living History Farm (PO Box 1938,
Cullman, AL 35056).