Gone to be with the Lord. These words John Peters penned onto a poem in the front of his Bible, and today they are true. He will be greatly missed. John was born June 24, 1922, two and one-half miles north of Winkler to James and Agnes Peters, the third of eleven siblings. Growing up on the farm, John learned the wonders of nature and the joy of hard work. On July 10, 1950, he married Sadie Hildebrand, "the girl next door." They were looking forward to their 60th wedding anniversary this summer. John and Sadie moved from Winkler to Winnipeg in 1950, and from Winnipeg to Garson in 1972. The years at Garson bore fruit in many different ways. There was the produce from the garden and the fruit trees, a strong interest. There were the cows and chickens, the dogs and lambs. While in Garson, the children grew to maturity and established homes and families of their own. And through it all, John’s faith in God, his integrity, and his love of learning shone. After John retired, he became a reader, reading many books, but especially the Bible. Right up until the end, John was active in the Seniors Choir, in church work, and visiting many friends and relatives. Early in the morning January 12, 2010, after two weeks minus a day of hospitalization, John Peters, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, and friend, entered the gates of heaven. John was predeceased by one infant son, Johnny Bruce; three brothers, Frank, Jake, and Peter; and two grandsons, Jake and Cody. Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Sara, also known as Sadie; five children, Bruce (Elaine), Bryan (Cheryl), Barry (Leasa), Sandra (Darrell), and Dale (Kelly); five brothers and two sisters. He is also survived by 14 grandchildren: Daniel (Julie), Mark (Amanda), Timothy, Marilyn, Joshua, Connie (Graeme), Mandy (Ryan), Jaleesa (Evan), Chantal, Brandon, Vincent, Devin, Dylan, and Mackenzie. Two great-grandchildren, Elijah and John, brought joy to his life. A celebration of John Peters’ life will be held 11:00 a.m., January 16, 2010, at Birchwood Funeral Chapel, 150 Penfeld Dr, Steinbach, followed by burial at Green Acres Memorial Gardens. Donations in John’s memory may be made to CSSM Camps. Viewing will be at Birchwood Funeral Chapel on Thursday, January 14 at 7:00 p.m.