08/17/2019 - Mary 'Beth' Peters

A memorial service for Mary "Beth" Peters, age 78, will be at 2:00 PM on Saturday, August 17, 2019 at St. Columbkille's Catholic Church in Hay Springs, NE.

A memorial has been established. Donations may be sent to Chamberlain-Drabbels Mortuary, PO Box 443, Hay Springs, NE 69347.

Beth was the third daughter born to Francis A. and Helen P. (Vanderloop) Peters. She was born in Hay Springs on April 24, 1941. She passed away in her home in Chicago, IL on June 28, 2019.

Mary attended school in Hay Springs, NE where she graduated in 1959. Mary attended St. Joseph's School of Nursing in Omaha, NE and graduated in 1963.

Mary worked at St. Joseph's Hospital for a year. She then went to New York City, NY and worked at St. Luke's Hospital for two years.

Mary joined the first group of Peace Corps volunteers. She was sent to Bucaramanga, Colombia in South America for two and a half years. When her time in the Peace Corps was done, she and a Peace Corps friend took a six-month tour on a motorcycle through parts of South America, Central America, and the United States. Upon her return home, she moved to Chicago where she worked at Weiss Memorial Hospital and Visiting Nurses of Chicago.

Mary signed up with the Whittaker Corp. which she worked for seven and a half years in Saudi Arabia as a nurse. This gave her the opportunity to travel the world over.
Mary returned to Chicago and worked as a nurse at different schools throughout the city. She did this until retirement. She was also able to attend Loyola University and the University of Illinois, where she earned her Master's Degree.

Mary was an avid reader and very active politically. She was proud that she was able to shake hands with both John and Robert Kennedy. She also campaigned for Barack Obama.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents, sisters Carol Russell and Rita Peters, and brother-in-law William McCarter.

Mary is survived by sisters Patricia McCarter of Hay Springs, NE and Lois (Mike) Rupe, brother Ronald (Connie) Peters, and many nieces and nephews.