05/26/2026
A printing legacy started with something as simple as a car ride. In August of 1968, having no car of her own, Nina Rich was riding with her older brother Buddy. He was driving her around St. Louis looking for employers who were hiring. Nina was seeking a fresh start in the city near her family. She had two daughters to care for and support. She found in the newspaper that Prince Gardner Company was hiring. She applied and got a job!
“The first position I had with Prince Gardner,” recalls Nina, “was a nail head machine operator for French purse flap designs.” Prince Gardner Co. crafted high quality leather products. “I was fast. I remember the other employees saying, ‘Slow down!’ I got a lot of attention for my speed!” said Nina.
Since Nina was quick and willing to learn, she was offered a new position. It required learning to run a printing press, so she moved to work in that department. Cleaning and loading the large Harris press and smaller Multilith press was an entry level job. Soon she was a productive press operator and prepared to be trained for a new machine. The company wanted to use embossed printed designs on some of their products. It was exciting to be part of the group when the machine was set-up. The first part was to be an AB Dick Printing Press. Nina liked the fast pace as well as the meditative rhythm of a printing press.
Nina had an interest in graphology before starting at Prince Gardner. The company recognized the correlation to printing and featured her in their newsletter. Nina worked at Prince Gardner for two years.
In the late summer of 1970, there was an unexpected knock at the door. Don Peacock, whom she had known in her High School days, was standing there with his brother Jerry. They had come to St. Louis to watch a wrestling match and while in town, stopped to visit. This was the beginning of catching up on 15 years. It was a surprise that both Don and Nina were working printers, (fate??). In the days to come the couple got reacquainted in Old St. Louis along the brick streets of the Mississippi River. The road between Mt. Vernon and St. Louis was traveled often — sometimes with Don’s three boys and Nina’s two girls. The couple continued their relationship and were soon married. Nina and her girls moved back to her hometown, Mt. Vernon, IL.
At that time, Don was working for his former in-laws’ company, Myers the Printer. Early in their marriage, Nina worked from home while their son Donnie was young. She babysat and assisted in typesetting for Ed Meek while raising the children.
In February 1977, Peacock Printing was born. Don, Nina, and Jerry Peacock acquired Myers the Printer. Nina got her start at Peacock Printing waiting on customers, ordering supplies, billing, filing, and occasionally running and cleaning the offset press. Jerry also ran the offset press, was the bookkeeper and worked in the darkroom. Don ran the letterpress, bindery equipment, made stamps and handled local deliveries. He drummed up business with his public involvement. “He was the dreamer and the salesman,” Nina said.
Nina recalls that their top clients in the early years were Crossroads Community Hospital and General Tire; both companies are still staples in the community. Peacock Printing produced business cards, letterhead, receipt books, wedding invitations, funeral cards, tickets — anything printed on paper.
Nina remembers an early customer named Bob. He was producing sauce in small batches at the time and needed some business cards and a logo. He had a small shingled roof on the back of his pickup truck. Nina volunteered to draw some shingles to use above the business name; Country Bob’s. She created the original Country Bob’s logo!
Printing was much different in the 1970s than it is today. Lead type was used for letterpress, each line and character placed by hand. For offset printing, a process called film stripping and plate making was used, with aluminum plates acting as a matrix to print on paper. Nothing was digital. For artwork, they chose clip art from books, and “even composing a straight line was difficult,” Nina recalls.
In 1978, Peacock Printing moved into a building on Casey Avenue (just one block south of the current location). They now had a formal brick-and-mortar storefront. The business continued to thrive, and the owners learned and evolved as industry trends continued to shift. 1978 was also the year that Nina’s daughter and future owner, Carrie Peacock, joined the business.
Life is change, as they say. Nina worked at Peacock Printing through 1989 when she and Don split up. Don continued on with the company. Following her career at Peacock Printing, Nina found counseling at Comprehensive Services in Mt. Vernon rewarding. She also studied fine arts at Rend Lake College and earned a license in massage therapy. Nina returned to Peacock in 2000 as a typesetter and graphic designer, and she found the techniques were very much changed! Everything was composed digitally!
Nina is remembered not only professionally but also for her community involvement. She was a Girl Scout Leader for many years and an organizer at Hall School. She was a member of many clubs and served as president of the Jefferson County Business and Professional Women’s Federation two terms.
In her personal time, Nina explores her creative side. In her forties, she began making time to create art. It is no stretch to say she has honed her craft. She has a robust body of work, often displayed in her home. Her photo-realistic paintings and drawings reflect her skill and natural artistic talent. She not only enjoys painting, but also metal-smithing, jewelry making, ceramics, and sculpture. Her home is a curation of all her curiosities and creations. She hand-built a labyrinth in her backyard, which is encompassed by a lush Southern Illinois flower garden, complete with a koi fish pond. Her home is the meeting place for many family and friend gatherings. She is the cornerstone of her family and inspires many. She is always available to chat over coffee or a puzzle.
