Pace woman honors late husband with Little Free Library

PACE — Naita Peschel has opened a Little Free Library in memory of her husband, Chuck, who died May 17.

Friday, Peschel tacked on the nameplate bearing the words “Chuck’s Little Library,” to the red structure near the Winn-Dixie in Pace.

Peschel chose a Little Free Library to honor her husband because he taught science and math for almost 30 years. In fact, the couple met through teaching.

He started teaching middle school in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, from 1961 to 1963, according to Peschel, then began working for the Department of Defense as a teacher. He taught a year in Okinawa and then four years in Germany.

“I taught overseas at the same time. That was where we met,” Peschel said. “We were put on the same bowling team in Kaiserslautern. On our Christmas tour, we were engaged in Cairo, Egypt. We really had an exotic life.”

Chuck earned his master's degree from Ohio State University in 1969 and would go on to teach seventh and eighth grade in Shorewood, Wisconsin, for 25 years.

Fifteen years ago, the Peschels moved to Pace.

“We did it on our own,” Peschel said. “It was not any kind of military or company move. We chose Pace.”

After retiring from teaching, Chuck briefly worked at a Grafton, Wisconsin Home Depot, the reason Peschel approached the Pace Home Depot to see if she could get a discount on materials.

The store donated the wood, the doors, and the roof. Peschel wanted to do the painting herself. Chuck’s grandson, Dylan Schroeder, she said, created the sign.

Home Depot’s Steve Savage, and a former manager, Albert Husenaj, took Naita’s plans and built the library, Peschel said.

While the library is near the Winn-Dixie entrance, it sits on a plot that Venice Worring owns. She donated the site, according to Peschel.

Chuck’s Little Library is open and includes books for children ages 11 to 14.

“I know it’s being used because all the 'Star Wars' books are gone,” she said.