Donald S. Peters
January 10, 1950 – December 26, 2021
The family will receive friends Thursday, December 30th from 5pm to 7pm, followed by VIGIL SERVICE at 7pm, all at the West Center Chapel. MASS OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL: Friday, December 31st at 10:30am at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, 307 E. Meigs Street, Valley, NE. Interment: Prospect Hill, Elkhorn, NE. Memorials will be directed by the family.
To view live broadcasts of the Vigil Service, Mass and Graveside Service, please go to www.heafeyheafey.com and click the “View Live Cast” button on the home page.
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Don Peters was born to Stan and Helen Peters on January 10, 1950, in O’Neill, Nebraska. Don was the second of five children and graduated from St. Mary’s High School in 1968. He began college at Creighton University and transferred to the University of Nebraska at Lincoln to study Architecture. While at UNL, he met Rita, the love of his life, and they were married in August of 1971. They were blessed with four children: Scott, Lisa, Renee, and Brenda.
Don began his own Architecture firm in 1983, Peters and Associates Architects. He truly enjoyed working with his clients and bringing their ideas to fruition and leaves a legacy of his work that will live on for years to come.
Don enjoyed traveling. As a father with four young children, they made annual trips to Colorado – skiing in the winter or hiking in the summer, and weekend trips up to Lewis and Clark Lake to sail, bike ride, and enjoy his family. As the children grew, he kept up his travels with his wife, taking trips to Florida, Door County, Idaho, and several other places around the country. He was a wonderful musician and would sit at the piano and write beautiful songs. He played with a band in college, and joined a community choir in his fifties, where he made several amazing
friends. He passed on his love of music to his children and grandchildren, supporting their musical endeavors over the years at piano recitals, school concerts, and musicals. His favorite past-times included flying his V-Tail Bonanza, sailing at Lewis and Clark Lake, doing endless projects on his yard and house, and spending time with his children and grandchildren.
Don and Rita were blessed to celebrate 50 years of marriage this past August. All four children, as well as 18 of the 21 grandchildren, traveled up to Lewis and Clark Lake in Yankton, South Dakota for a three-day party including swimming, laughing, and a Mass with Fr. Jim Kramper at the St. Mary Shrine.
Preceded in death by parents, Stan and Helen Peters; sister, Linda Peters; brothers-in-law: Joe O’Malley, Jeff Clausen, Don Oppliger, and Ralph Olson; sister-in-law, Lori Prill; and nephew, Grant Opplige. Don is survived by his loving wife of 50 years, Rita; son and daughter-in-law, Scott and RuthCher Peters; daughters and sons-in-law: Lisa and Brian Crowley, Renee and Rick Spicka, Brenda and Dan Weidner; grandchildren: Victoria, Abbigaelle, Christopher, and Charlie Peters; Maria and Nicholas Keilman; Aaron, Peter, Cecilia, Teresa, Simeon, Isaiah, and Benedict Crowley; Ellen, Adam, Ryan, Owen, and Baby Spicka due in February; Addison, Joshua, Olivia, and Courtney Weidner; sisters, Judy O’Malley and Mary Clausen; brother, Tom Peters, and several friends, colleagues, nieces, and nephews.
35 Comments
Rita, My very deepest sympathies to you and your family over your loss. I will miss Don’s wisdom and the smile he ‘always’ had on his face.
Shocked and saddened by the loss of a good friend and fellow architect.
Rita, I am so sorry. Don was the best kind of friend. He was loyal, smart, a gifted architect, and an amazing pilot. I will cherish the relationship I was honored to have with him.
My condolences to Rita and the family – I still have great memories from working with Don, flying to projects and sailing on his boat. He will be missed by all.
Rita, we are truly sorry for your loss. He will be missed deeply by the Oracle Aviation family and by many friends at the Millard Airport. Flying always brought a smile to Dons face.
I am sorry dad, Charlie and i want to assisted to see you for the first time and say good bye to you it’s only him of my children doesn’t know you. I can say condolences to the Peters families. The Peters families never forgetting you especially me you are doing a lot for me i never forget you too. Stay R.I.P. dad the tears never dry out of the families.
We send a heartfelt handshake to the Peters’ family. Don was an outstanding architect who loved making people’s dreams come to life. Working with Don on our food distribution project was always interesting. He made me laugh when I wanted to give up and shared my frustration yet he was always willing to go above and beyond to make sure the project stayed on task. He did not back down from a challenge and by golly, we sure faced more then our fair share of them throughout the 2 1.2 years of our 1 year project. I am truly blessed to have worked with Don and Ben of Peters and Associates Architects. We have a beautiful, life long building as part of his outstanding legacy he leaves behind. We also send our deepest sympathies, prayers and strength to the Peters’ family during this sad time.
Rita and family, Sorry for your loss, We will keep you all in our prayers. Jerry & Bonnie Hall
Rest in Peace my friend.
Know our hearts and prayers are with the entire family during this painful time.
In the 1980’s Don Rita and I, were flying in my Mooney in an Air Race around several of the Hawaii an Islands. We did not win any trophy’s, but I gained two wonderful friends! God Bless his wife, Rita and a wonderful pilot.
I remember his kindness when I babysat your grandchildren and he insisted walking me home. So kind and always looking after others. Our family will offer a daily rosary, for a week, for the happy repose of hus soul.
I am so saddened by Don’s passing. It seems we just spoke only a month or so ago. Don and I shared some common history going back more than 40 years, and we always kept in touch. My prayers and condolences to the family and Ben and Jesse at the office.
c
My heart aches to view the photos of Don knowing that my good friend, who would always lend his ear and offer advice to those that cherished his counsel, is gone from us and with the Lord. I had the privilege of working with Don, enjoying his humor, sharing stories and (most of all) breaking bread with him and Rita after Church on the Sundays they were available. We need to remember Don in prayer knowing he would do the sane for any one of us. Let us come together to console Rita and family ad let her/them know we are and will be available to help in any way we can, now and in the future.
Thank you Lord for giving Don to us, and we entrust him to Your glory and mercy for eternity.
Don was one of the best students at St. Mary’s High School in O’Neill, class of 1968.
Two words describe Don …. a “gentle man”
God Bless
Scott Stewart
Lincoln
So very sorry for your loss. You will be in our prayers
Rita, Don was a close friend and the light of his life will continue on through those he touched and his work. May the Love and Peace of the Lord Jesus Christ embrace your spirit always.
Richard Bell
Rita,
Ray and I are shocked and saddened by the passing of Don.
I was really looking forward to flying with Don, in his Bonanza, after the holidays.
You are in our thoughts and prayers.
So sorry for the family’s loss. There aren’t enough words to describe how great of a man he was. My thoughts and prayers go out to the family as they celebrate the amazing, yet short, life of Don. May God bless you all in the days and years to come. 💜
Rita I was so shocked and saddened when you told me Don had passed. My deepest condolences to you and the family. I was there when you and Don started life together 50 yrs ago, I will be with you at the end. God bless and keep you, love Doug and Rose
We are so sorry for your loss. We remember all the fun times we had with you and Don. You and all your family are in our thoughts and prayers. Gods Blessings be with you especially now and always . Our Love, Cathy and Tom
Shocked and saddened. What a wonderful guy with a great family. His legacy will be affirmed through the memories of his family and friends.
We wish to extend our sympathy to Rita & family and to Judy, Mary & Tom. You’re in our thoughts & prayers.
Rita and family, My deepest sympathy for your loss. I’m sure he will be greatly missed by your family. I’m just a phone call away Rita.
With much sadness and tears, we extend our deepest condolences to Rita and family, Judy, Mary and Tom.
A very good man, talented, friendly, intelligent, family-centered, and Christ-centered, has now left this life and entered into eternal life. May he rest in the glory of the Lord for eternity. He will be missed very much here on earth by so many. What a great friend!
Rita, you and your family are in my prayers. I am so sorry for your loss.
I knew Don less than a year. I bought Don’s Hunter 23.5 sailboat. And he bought a Catalina 25. We struck up a friendship and sailed together a couple of times. Don was my mentor about sailing. I was privileged to know Don and Rita.
Sincerely,
Gary Sather
My sympathy to Rita and family. I am Don’s cousin. Thinking of you also, Judy, Mary, and Tom. Prayers
Peters family, please accept our sincere condolences for the loss of Don. May he rest in peace.
Rita, I am deeply saddened to hear of Don’s passing. I just talked to him about a month ago regarding our plans to record several musical pieces that he had written. Pam and I have you in our thoughts and prayers. We will view the broadcast and may God be with you, and
Don and your family.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you Rita and your family during this difficult time.
So very sorry to hear of Don’s passing, Rita…my sincerest condolences.
Rita and family, We were so sorry to hear of Don’s passing. Our thoughts and prayers are will all of you. I’m sure your family will be a source of strength to you in the days ahead. Jan and Fred Sorensen
Our sympathy and prayers to the family. May God
wrap his loving arms around you and give you comfort.
_O’Neill, NE
Rita, So sorry to hear about Don. Sorry to miss the services, we just didn’t know. I was able to watch the funeral service and loved the Ava Maria your daughter sang. Beautiful and talented. Our sincere condolences.
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