Donald Fredrick Peters

PETERS

Posted By: Patrick Turner (email)
Date: 2/1/2003 at 21:37:57

Thursday, Mar 28, 2002

Shelby/Avoca

In Memory: Donald Fredrick Peters

Donald Fredrick Peters, 77, died March 19, 2002, at his residence in Omaha, Nebraska.

He was born on July 27, 1924 in Avoca, one of two children in the family of Gustav and Minnie Arp Peters.

Don started off as a farmer on part of his father’s land in Shelby County, farming 80 acres. He married Genevieve Peterson September 11, 1949 in Shelby; the two were later divorced after having two children, Mark and Kay.

In 1959, don purchased 320 acres just east of Shelby. He farmed there for three years while attending college at the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

He received his degree in business administration in 1961. Accepted at Harvard, but declining, he sold the farm at Shelby and became a district manager for Ralston Purina and moved his young family to Atlantic. In 1966, he became an executive vice president for Walnut Grove.

Wanting more out of life, he went to New York and purchased the rights to several franchises. Through many of the franchises did well, one in particular did very well. Edie Adams Cut & Curl was born in 1969 and was the beginning for today’s Haircrafters and Great Expectation Salons in Omaha. Lincoln and Council Bluffs.

With that business prospering, he began buying farmland in Shelby County in the early 1980s. He accumulated just shy of 5000 acres. Don loved to travel, visiting more than 80 countries. He loved the land, his children and his grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Leonard Peters. Survivors include his children, Mark and his wife Jodie Peters of Edmond, Oklahoma and Kay Kunze of Omaha; three grandchildren, Rachael Davis, Zachary Kunze and Spencer Peters; two great grandchildren, Jacinda and Caleb Davis; nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.

Funeral ceremonies were held Friday, March 22 at 10:30 A.M. at the Shelby Lutheran Church with the Rev. Thomas F. Backer and Pastor Dale Jenson officiating. Interment was in the Shelby Cemetery.

Knutson Funeral Home of Avoca was in charge of arrangements.