News Release

Remembering Former Mayor Tom Peeples: A Visionary Leader Who Has Left an Indelible Mark on Hilton Head Island

April 22, 2024

The Town of Hilton Head Island is saddened to hear of the passing of former Mayor Tom Peeples. Peeples started on Town Council in 1989 and was re-elected twice before running for Mayor in 1995. Peeples became the first Lowcountry native to serve as Mayor, staying in that role for 15 years until he stepped down in 2010. Peeples is still the only person to serve more than one term as Hilton Head Island Mayor.

Peeples introduced an Island Capital Improvement Plan and put the real estate transfer fee in place, a fee that generates an average of $4.2 million each year and is dedicated to the Land Acquisition Program. Peeples helped support the Tax Increment Financing District, which brought $150 million in upgrades to the Island’s drainage, parks, pathways, fire stations, and secondary roads. He was also instrumental in creating a Hilton Head Island parks and open space master plan, which protected and preserved the Honey Horn and the Coastal Discovery Museum site.

"I am truly saddened by the loss of a man who meant so much to the Town of Hilton Head Island," said Mayor Alan Perry. "Tom Peeples helped lay a foundation for the Island we know and love today. A Lowcountry native who worked tirelessly to make the place he called home better, Tom had a vision for the future of Hilton Head Island. He did everything he could to not just build for that future but also protect the natural environment that makes Hilton Head Island so special. Long before he started in Town government, Peeples was more than just a great Mayor. He was also a lifelong friend and someone whose counsel, advice, and personality have helped shape me as a Mayor and a person. He was truly a local legend and will be missed dearly."

We offer our sincere condolences and sympathies to Tom's wife Mary Ann, his son Josh, and the entire Peeples family in their time of loss.