ADA-Services for Raymond Verlon "Ray" "Pete" Peters, 96, of Ada are 2:00 p.m. Tuesday at the First Baptist Church in Ada, Rev. Harold Ware will officiate. Burial will follow at Rosedale Cemetery. The Chickasaw Honor Guard will conduct military honors at the cemetery.
Mr. Peters died Thursday, January 9, 2014 at the Sulphur Veterans Center. He was born October 30, 1917, northwest of Calvin, Oklahoma to George and Rosa Edwards Peters. He graduated from Calvin High School and attended East Central State College for two years.
Mr. Peters served in the U. S. Air Force during World War II. As a Tech Sergeant, Pete flew on a B-17 "Flying Fortress" and was stationed in England. As Flight Engineer, he flew on many missions as top turret gunner. On one mission to Peter Monday, Germany, the plane lost 2 engines. Unable to make it back to Brunswick, England, the crew flew into Sweden. Pete was discharged in 1945 after serving 4 years, 6 months and 16 days with the 8th Air Force.
He married Irene Lackey Brower on February 25, 1962. Mr. Peters was an employee of Brown and Root Company and worked in the North Sea, Nigeria, in the Middle East and many other ports of call as a welder foreman in the oil business. He was a business owner in Trinidad and also operated a laundry, dry cleaners and grocery store at Crazy Corner in Ada. In 2000, at the age of 82, he traveled horseback in the Salmon, Idaho wilderness area on a 70-mile trek across rugged terrain with his longtime friends. He and his wife owned a ranch south of Ada on which they raised thoroughbred race horses and cattle. He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Ada. He was saved at the age of 45 at the Haggai Tent Revival on North Broadway in Ada. He was also a 32nd degree Mason.
Survivors include his wife, Irene Peters of the home; son, Scott Peters and wife MaryAnn and their children Tiffany Gibbs and Colby Peters; daughter, Rozana Melton and husband Bill, their children Robin and Rick McElhaney, Meg and Ana Rose; Kyle Ingram and Tiger; Matt Melton, Lydia and Bijoux; Billy and Jennifer Melton and Trey; Mark and Jennie Melton, Drew and Dylan; Mitch and Sara Melton, Parker and Max; Mike and Bettye Melton, Neil and Jacob; Lisa and Jim Garrison and Tony; his daughter, Sally Deatherage and husband Frank, their children Lance and Beth Ladd, Bellon, Maxton and Ryan; Jason and Cathy Ladd, Jordan and Austin, Shannon Ladd; Josh Spann; and Ashley Spann; step-son, D. E. Brower, Jr. and wife Niki of Yukon, their children Beth and Matt Parsons and son Jack, Alex Brower, Jessie Brower, Jordan and Devon Mobley; step-daughter, Linda Karen Hambright of Oklahoma City, her children Robyn and Jim Schuff, son Connor and daughter Taylor; Wendi and Ray Archer and Juli Hambright; his sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law: Billie Holt,Janelle and Vernon Robinson, James and Barbara Lackey, Lewis and Geneva Lackey; a nephew, Bill Peters of Wyoming; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Bearers will be Buster Greenwood, Tommy Welcher, Mick Provence, Charlie Woodward, Glen Griffin and John Whelchel. Honorary bearers will be the members of Pete's Sunday School Class and Keith Morrison.
The family says those who wish may make memorials to the Fall's Creek Fund, c/o the First Baptist Church, 521 S. Broadway, Ada, OK 74820.
Obituaries may be viewed and online condolences sent to criswellfh.com.