A year after President Obama pardoned him, turkey "Peace" died earlier this week at Mount Vernon, CNN reported. The turkey, one of two pardoned by Obama in 2011, was living at Mount Vernon. (Peace was the "understudy" to the 2011 turkey, "Liberty" who is still living at Mount Vernon.)

The turkeys, both from Willmar, Minn., were named by Minnesota schoolchildren, according to a report from the Star Tribune.

According to news reports, Peace was euthanized on the advice of a veterinarian in consultation with staffmembers at Mount Vernon after a weekend illness. The 500-acre estate is home to a menagerie of "heritage breed" animals.

"I know that it was done in a humane manner but I don't know the mechanics," Rebecca Aloisi, vice president for marketing at Mount Vernon, told CNN. The timing, just before Thanksgiving, gave some second thoughts about the bird's demise. "I appreciate where you're going with this," Aloisi said, "but I assure you that these birds are extremely well cared for."

The turkey died just days before the 2012 turkeys "Cobber" and understudy "Gobbler" were pardoned by Obama on Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving. This year's White House ceremony was held too late in the day for its fancy horse-drawn carriage arrival to Mount Vernon, and the estate canceled the arrival ceremony.

See also: Video of Liberty and Peace arriving at Mount Vernon in 2011.

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