John Peters

John Peters was born to Frank and Helena Peters in Orenburg, Russia, on October 1, 1914. After immigrating to Canada in 1926 the family eventually settled in Winnipegosis, Manitoba. During the depression, money was hard to come by and John rode his bicycle several hundred miles to Saskatchewan for work as a farm labourer. He existed under primitive conditions, but managed to bring home every cent he earned.

On October 5, 1941 he married Lena Klassen, and while living in Manitoba, they had four children in Winnipegosis, Louella, Alvin, Vera, and Eugene. In 1953 Lena and John moved to Abbotsford where Robert was born.

Although John finished school at the age of 14 he was never quite sure whether he passed grade 4. He read the Bible in German, and taught Sunday school for years. He was a self-taught man and supported his family on an 80 acre mixed farm in Manitoba, and with hens, broilers, and berries on a 10 acre farm on Peardonville Road in BC. His middle initial, F , was added so that the mailman could distinguish between the five John Peters on Peardonville Road.

In 1966 John and Lena opened their home to both short term and long term foster children. Johnny came as a ten month old who could not yet sit up on his own. Both parents lavished their attention on him and he thrived. Johnny absorbed John and Lena’s love for the Lord and for people and on one occasion went up and down Hope Road inviting people to church. Johnny succumbed to cancer when he was not quite six years old.

Mario came next as a 13 year old and stayed with the family for three years. Kris and Ev came to join the family, “temporarily”, in 1973 but are obviously still valued members of the family today.

Young children especially loved John. In many pictures he is seen holding a child.

After retiring from farming, John worked at the Mennonite cemetery for 10 years, digging graves with a shovel because he couldn’t operate a back-hoe.

John and Lena moved to Murray Avenue in 1985.

By many, John will be remembered best for his years of volunteering. He worked daily during the construction of the West Abbotsford Church. He then devoted many years volunteering at the Clearbrook MCC store where he was given the honour of cutting the ribbon at the grand opening. He was given a key because he was usually the first to arrive at the store. John took on the job of stripping copper wire for recycling, and jumping on the contents of the disposal bins to tamp it down. MCC sold the delicate ornamental furniture John meticulously made out of tin cans.

After Lena suffered a stroke in 2004, John and Lena moved to the Menno Terrace, where John continued to strip copper wire for MCC until 2010.

He died peacefully on the evening of March 25, 2011, after a brief hospital stay that allowed enough time for many of his family to say their good-byes.

John is survived by his loving wife Lena, Louella (Bill) Rempel, Alvin (Ingrid), Vera Ganderton, Eugene (Kelly), and Robert (Carol), Kris and Ev Ryan; grand-children and great grand-children.