India Smith Peters

She completed high school in Salina. India’s wish was to attend college. However, funds did not allow. She traveled with a friend to San Diego, California to work at Douglas Aircraft. She worked in the nose of DC3s readying the aircraft for war - a True “Rosie the Riveter.”

She met her future husband - Pete Peters - in California. They returned to Pete’s family farm in Nebraska where they married in Bridgeport Nebraska on February 15, 1943.

They moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma where their three children were born: Nicholas, Paulicia and Tom. India enjoyed being a mother and was happy to be close to her parents and siblings.

India and Pete moved to Dallas, Texas in 1951. India was a homemaker who was a fabulous cook. She was a talented seamstress who made a lot of her own clothes. She enjoyed traveling with Pete and annual family trips to the farm in Nebraska which led to fishing and camping trips to Wyoming and Colorado. India was active in the women’s group at Glen Oaks Methodist Church.

India and Pete relocated to McAllen Texas in 1973. She enjoyed all the fresh citrus and trips to the coast. She continued to cook, sew, read and volunteered at a Womens health center. She became a grandmother in 1976 and doted on Zachary as often as possible. She and Pete purchased a cabin in the Poudre Canyon in 1982 and were able to see Zachary more! She enjoyed many gatherings with friends and family at the cabin. They spent June-September in Colorado. India and Pete built a home in the middle of a McAllen citrus grove in 1987.

India continued living in the grove after Pete’s death in 2010. She became ill with pneumonia during a trip to Colorado in 2015. She was hospitalized and spent many weeks in hospital and a rehab facility. At this time, she made the decision that at 95 she couldn’t take care of a house and large property. She moved in with daughter Paulicia in Fort Collins. She spent the next eleven years battling illness and injuries that led to more hospitalizations and trips to rehabilitation. She recovered and until two years before her death continued weekly physical therapy sessions.

India loved to read. When she was not able to read large print books, she listened to books on tape. She loved sitting in the sun and admiring the flowers in the garden and yard. She made many friends while in Colorado and enjoyed her annual birthday parties that brought family and friends together to honor her. She was recognized at age 106 with a story on the front page of the Coloradoan.

India is survived by Children Nic, Paulicia and Tom, and grandson Zac (Summer), brother in law Pat Peters (Adele), brother in law Bill Yung, sister in law Doris Peters and many nieces and nephews.

A special thanks to Pathways Hospice: nurse Adam and the team at the inpatient care center.

Much love to India’s angel caregiver - Patty Richardson.

India’s funeral service will be held on March 28 at 11am at Valley Memorial Gardens in Mission, Texas.