BLANCHE BERNADETTE PETERS was born in Butler, Minnesota, on February 6, 1927 daughter of the late Raymond and Elizabeth (Schafer) VandenBerghe. She was raised on the family farm and educated in the Butler community. In 1949 she moved with her family to Verboort, Oregon.
She was united in marriage to Wilfred A. “Fritz” Peters on June 13, 1951 at the Holy Cross Catholic Church in Butler, Minnesota. They celebrated their 48th Wedding Anniversary this past June. Following their marriage they made their home in the Verboort community where Blanche was a homemaker and raised nine children on the family farm.
After her children were grown she pursued her life-long passion for flowers and gardening by tending her greenhouse, raising flowers and vegetable gardens, and raising sunflowers for the wild birds. Her talents included making quilts for her family and friends, cooking, baking, and cake decorating (including some of her children's wedding cakes). Her hobbies included needlework, crocheting, sewing, puzzles, reading, and watching birds. She especially enjoyed spending holidays with her entire family.
Blanche was a long-time member of the Visitation Roman Catholic Church, The Visitation Altar Society, and the Ladies Quilting Group in Verboort.
Blanche is preceded in death by a grandson, Addison Peters.
Blanche died Wednesday, September 29, 1999 at her home. She is survived by her husband Wilfred, of Verboort; four sons, five daughters and their spouses: Greg and Jeannie Peters of Cornelius, Oregon; Brenda and John Braxmeyer of Cornelius, Oregon; Bruce and Josie Peters of Albany, Oregon; Vivian and Mike McCarthy of Forest Grove, Oregon; Roxanne and Brian Coussens of Banks, Oregon; Patrick and Melanie Peters of Forest Grove, Oregon; Carol and Joseph Chagnon of Albany, Oregon; Bradley and Debbie Peters of Maple Valley, Washington; and June and Paul Coussens of Banks, Oregon; three sisters: Louella Evers of Forest Grove, Oregon; Adeline Feeney of Miami, Florida; and Agnes Hofland of New York Mills, Minnesota; a brother: Kenneth Vanden Berghe of Taylors, South Carolina; and twenty-eight grandchildren.