Willie "Bill" James Peters

Willie "Bill" James Peters, 92, went to be with his Lord early Wednesday morning, April 6, at his home in Moses Lake. Memorial services will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, April 9, at the Moses Lake Assembly of God Church, with Pastor Devon Wood officiating. Arrangements are in care of Kayser's Chapel and Crematory, Moses Lake.

Bill was born November 14, 1912 in Warden, Wash., the fourth son of Jake and Sarah Peters. Much of his childhood was spent horseback, herding cattle in the scabrock, sleeping in a line shack and using sage for cooking fuel — a big job for a young boy by himself. In the fourth grade, it was decided that he was sufficiently educated, and they needed the extra hand raising wheat anyway. After leaving home at 16, he worked around different ranches in the area. He then spent some time capturing wild horses, training them for saddle stock and then selling them in Drummond, Mont., and points in between. After this he went to sea with the Merchant Marines. Upon attaining the rank of first mate, he discovered old captains never die — or retire. With no chance for further advancement, he chose a new occupation, starting with construction of Grand Coulee Dam. He drove truck until its completion, then went on to work on O'Sullivan Dam. By this time he was noticed by his employer, Morrison-Knudsen, and was kept on for many years as a master mechanic until his promotion to superintendent. He spent time in many parts of the world, the Aleutian Islands, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the Phillipines, South America, Iraq, Ran, Egypt, Morocco, Southern Africa and Vietnam to name a few.

While in the Phillipines he was invited to become a member of the secret brotherhood of Masons, achieving the 32nd level. After completing a job in the interior of South America, he went to Georgetown, Guyana, where he met a girl who worked in a travel agency, who shortly became his bride for the rest of his life. After his retirement from Morrison-Knudsen he went to Santa Rosa, Calif. for several years, then to Richland, Wash. and eventually back to Moses Lake, where he spent the remaining years.

He is survived by his loving wife, Jackie Peters of Moses Lake; son and daughter-in-law, Steven and Janine Peters; two grandchildren, Skye Peters and Sarah Bennett; one sister, Pearl Weber; and many nieces and nephews.

Aside from his parents, Jake and Sarah Peters, he was preceded in death by three brothers, Albert, Walter and Charlie, and sisters, May and Lillian.