then mimicked Wardlaw's supposed walk by walking across the stage in front of the convocation audience in an ape-like position. A South Carolina appeals court upheld a $24,000 jury verdict against Peck on the theory that when Peck cast aspersions upon Wardlaw's chastity, his public remarks were slanderous per se. In 1993, Peck was diagnosed with cancer of the larynx, but overcame the disease. Peck lived with his wife in Longwood, Florida and died there in 2020. References External links Robert Newton Peck Discusses Writing on YouTube 1928 births American children's writers United States Army personnel of World War II 2020 deaths Rollins College alumni United States Army soldiers American writers of young adult literature People from Ticonderoga, New York People from Longwood, Florida