Kenny Peter’s obituary is posted and most of the readers of The Lime Springs Page probably know more about his many activities in our town than I do. Therefore, I’ll just concentrate on the things I remember about Kenny, Blanche, and the Peter family.
Farm Neighbors
It was in the mid 1940s that the Peter Family moved to the farm immediately to the west of our farm. At that time, only Herb, Hazel, and Eileen were part of the household. Marilyn had stayed in Cresco, either to finish high school or to work. “Bill” (Buddy to us) was elsewhere, possibly in the Navy, as I recall. And Kenny was definitely in the Navy.
Herb and Hazel and my parents became great friends. I recall Dad and Herb pooling their smoking resources during those multi-day periods when they couldn’t get to town due to snow storms. But when the cigarettes and tobacco ran out, they found a way to get to town!
Which reminds me: When is the last time you saw anyone roll their own cigarettes? It used to be very common for men to carry a can of Prince Albert or Velvet tobacco in the bib pocket of their overall and a little packet of papers and roll their own cigarettes. Herb and Dad were among the roll-you-own crowd much of the time.
When the Peters moved to Foreston, I must have been in first grade, give or take one grade. Eileen was a grade ahead of our class (Jerry Hebrink, Ina Mae Marshall, and me.) The teacher at our Forest City #1 school was Mabel Monthy. For some reason, she decided to give Eileen some classmates so covered two years of material in one year (or maybe three years in two years) so we three would be in the same grade as Eileen.
Kenny in the Navy
When Kenny was home on furlough from the Navy, we visited them so we could meet Kenny. (Back then, there was no TV so visiting friends and neighbors was commonplace.) I don’t recall much about that meeting, other than one thing.
Kenny had a .38 pistol and demonstrated tracer bullets! They were certainly visible in the night sky! That was the first and last time I’ve ever seen them but clearly they left a lasting impression on me.
I remember that he and his brother were in a terrible car accident, the car being a late-’30s black Ford, as I recall. Buddy was the more seriously injured and was in serious condition. I recall seeing the car on the farm. It was a mess; we were lucky to have both survive!
Kenny and Blanche’s Wedding
My next recollection was Kenny and Blanche’s wedding dance! I must have been all of nine years old at the time. The dance was in Chester and it was the first dance I’d ever been to!
Kenny Peter the Entrepeneur
The first business venture I remember Kenny being involved in was running a service station. It was across the street from the lumber yard. Later he opened a Texaco station on the corner by the “new” Community Center.
Somewhere along the line, he worked for Hy Rosenblum (?) in the poultry or egg (or both) business, which was in the old livery barn, I think. He must have learned well, as he went on to create Peter Produce which, among other things, pickled eggs and shipped them all over the country.
If there was anything going on, Kenny was usually involved. He served as Mayor for several years and belonged to several local organizations.
Kenny and Blanche have been an active part of Lime Springs life and business for decades. His entrepreneurial spirit will be missed, along with his friendship.
The passing of Kenny is not just a loss for the greater Peter family, but for the whole community.