Passing of Roddy Peeples

Roddy Peeples passed away on July 7, 2026. I took this photo of Roddy at the 2016 NAFB Convention. He was one of many farm broadcasters that I learned from during my career. Roddy was always happy to chat and provide ideas. Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May he rest in peace. Here is his Memorial Service info:
Restland Funeral Home and Cemetery – At the Memorial Chapel
13005 Greenville Avenue
Dallas, TX 75243
www.restlandfuneralhome.com
Friday, July 17, 2026, 2:00pm
Here is some information about Roddy’s career from Gardner Hatch, Executive Director, NAFB:
Roddy Peeples passed away on July 7, 2026. He was born on July 3, 1932, and raised on a cotton, cattle and grain farm near Tehuacana, Texas. He graduated from Mexia High School, attended Texas A&M and received a bachelor’s degree in agronomy in 1953. His agricultural radio career began at WTAW in College Station during his senior year at the university.
Roddy was a broadcaster in Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri in the 1950s before joining KWFT in Wichita Falls, Texas, as associate farm director, in 1959. Five years later, he established the Voice of Southwest Agriculture (VSA) radio network, which grew to 60 stations throughout Texas. After 31 years as founder and owner of VSA, Peeples sold the network in 1995 to Clear Channel Communications of San Antonio.
The voice of Southwest agriculture was also a pilot and flew his own plane from 1974 to 2002 to attend farm and ranch events across Texas. He served in multiple leadership roles at NAFB, including president in 1982. In 1992, he was named NAFB Farm Broadcaster of the year and nine years later was inducted into the National Association of Farm Broadcasting Hall of Fame. He also received numerous other ag industry awards from soil and water conservation districts, the Texas Farm Bureau, 4-H, livestock associations, and other organizations.

Facts Only

* Roddy Peeples passed away on July 7, 2026.
* Peeples was born on July 3, 1932.
* He was raised on a cotton, cattle, and grain farm near Tehuacana, Texas.
* He graduated from Mexia High School and attended Texas A&M.
* He received a bachelor’s degree in agronomy in 1953.
* His agricultural radio career began at WTAW in College Station during his senior year.
* He was a broadcaster in Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri in the 1950s.
* He joined KWFT in Wichita Falls, Texas, as associate farm director in 1959.
* He established the Voice of Southwest Agriculture (VSA) radio network in 1964.
* Peeples sold the VSA network in 1995 to Clear Channel Communications of San Antonio.
* He flew his own plane from 1974 to 2002 for farm and ranch events across Texas.
* He served as president of NAFB in 1982.
* He was named NAFB Farm Broadcaster of the year in 1992.
* He was inducted into the National Association of Farm Broadcasting Hall of Fame nine years after his award.

Executive Summary

Roddy Peeples passed away on July 7, 2026. He was born on July 3, 1932, and grew up on a farm in Texas. Peeples began his agricultural radio career at WTAW in College Station while in university. He worked as a broadcaster in Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri during the 1950s before joining KWFT in Wichita Falls, Texas, as an associate farm director in 1959. He established the Voice of Southwest Agriculture (VSA) radio network five years later, which expanded to sixty stations across Texas. After 31 years as founder and owner of VSA, he sold the network to Clear Channel Communications of San Antonio in 1995. Peeples also flew his own plane from 1974 to 2002 to attend farm and ranch events across Texas. He held leadership roles at the National Association of Farm Bureau (NAFB), including president in 1982, was named NAFB Farm Broadcaster of the year in 1992, and was inducted into the NAFB Farm Broadcasting Hall of Fame nine years later.

Full Take

The narrative traces a trajectory from foundational agricultural upbringing and academic achievement to significant entrepreneurial success in media, culminating in recognized leadership within the agricultural broadcasting community. The pattern observed is the establishment and monetization of regional knowledge—the VSA network exemplified this by aggregating and disseminating specialized agricultural information across a wide geographical area. This suggests that expertise, when formalized through communication channels, can become an enduring asset beyond physical assets. The focus on his involvement in NAFB leadership positions indicates a consistent engagement with institutional structures within the agricultural sector. A critical observation is the juxtaposition of long-term personal history (farm life) with professional achievement (broadcasting empire), which implicitly frames success as being rooted in tangible, verifiable industry knowledge. The implication for understanding public discourse is that narratives emphasizing lived experience and specialized expertise often gain significant traction, regardless of the medium. What is not explicitly addressed is the social weight assigned to this type of agricultural history within the broader context of media valuation and legacy. What factors determine which forms of historical contribution are ultimately preserved or celebrated over others?