Freda Mae Peters

She lived Konawa, Seminole and Oklahoma City before moving to Shawnee, OK. Freda graduated from Shawnee High School in 1945. She met the love of her life, J.R. Peters, on Aug 31, 1943 when she and her best friend Shurla Son were riding their bicycles down Kickapoo St headed to the skating rink and a car driven by Eugene Farthing with J. R. pulled over to talk to the girls. Freda described J.R. in her diary as seeming to be “very nice, courteous, friendly-blue eyes”. J.R. proposed to Freda in his dump truck sitting in Van’s Pig Stand drive-in parking. Freda and J. R. were married on March 18, 1945 in the First Assembly of God Church in Shawnee and just celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary.

Freda was a long-time member of First Assembly of God Church which later became Cornerstone Assembly. Her love for Christ, her faith and the Bible let to her holding many positions teaching and leading in her church. She was a Sunday school teacher, church secretary and treasurer, youth leader, women’s missionary leader, Missionette leader and many other positions before losing her eyesight. They enjoyed traveling by car and motor homes, camping along the way. They toured all 48 continental U.S. States and Canada, and Mexico. Freda especially loved the mountains and camping by streams and rivers.

Freda and J.R. owned and operated J.R. Peters Plbg until they retired as well as owning Thunderbird Mobile Home Park and other rental properties in Shawnee. They purchased a 160 acres north of Earlsboro in 1972 and moved on to “the farm” in 2004. Freda loved planning and hosting all kinds of celebration and get-togethers for family and friends on “the farm” for Christmas, Easter Sunrise Services and egg hunts, hayrides, Fourth of July celebrations and water baptism. In the spring and summer Freda would be on her tractor-mower from sun-up to sundown mowing “the farm”, which she loved doing and continued doing until just two or three years when she could no longer climb on the mower.

Freda was preceded in death by her parents Fred and Rachel Ballou, her sisters Estella Wheeler and Mary Davis, her niece Tammy Ballou McCloud.

Survivors include her husband James Richard “J.R.” Peters of the home, sons James Richard “Jim” Peters Jr. and wife Carolyn of Shawnee, Rev. David H. Peters and wife Regina of Earlsboro, daughter Deborah McClendon and husband Mike of Shawnee, 8 grandchildren, 22 great grandchildren, one great-great grandson, her brother Charley Ballou and wife Brenda of Tecumseh, sister-in-law Corine Chrz and husband Bill of Perry, and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

In lieu of flowers, J.R. request that donations be made to the Shawnee Santa Fe Museum.

Unending thanks goes to the staff of MacArthur Park Home Health and Angelic Family Hospice for the wonderful care and support they have provided for Freda, J.R. and our family.