Jennie Lee Peters was born to John and Irma Schmidt on Jan 19, 1936 in Goessel, Kansas. She died suddenly at home from an apparent heart attack on Sept 13, 2021 at the age 85.  As her chest pain became more severe, her last words were "Lord take me." We are sure Jesus welcomed her with open arms.  She will be dearly missed.

Jennie was the second of 4 children and grew up on a farm near Newton, Kansas. This was during the depression which made things difficult, but she never lacked food or love. She loved the farm and farm animals. She was frequently the first one up in the morning to milk the cows and do chores. She had her own beloved horse for many years. She attended a one-room school for 8 years. After high school, she attended Bethel College in North Newton, Kansas for 2 years to earn an AA degree and become a teacher. She taught in a one-room school, where she had to start her own fire in a wood stove, for two years. While at Bethel, she met her future husband and married Virgil Peters on May 27, 1957.

Jennie accompanied her husband through medical school in Kansas City and two years of medical training in Wichita, Kansas. The couple then moved to Taiwan with their three young children (Tim 4, Jerilee 2, and Mark 8 weeks) for three years of medical mission work at Mennonite Christian Hospital in Hualien, Taiwan. Upon the family's return to the United States, Virgil began medical practice in Mt. Angel, Oregon. Through it all, Jennie was a faithful supporter of her husband and family. She was always teaching children at church about Jesus, whom she loved so much, and she went on to teach release-time Bible classes in Mt. Angel for 20 years.

On a 1971 summer return trip to work at the hospital in Taiwan, twin girls from the Ami tribe needed a home and were adopted by Jennie and Virgil at 7 months old. They had some special needs along the way and Dawna is currently on a ventilator and tube feedings for muscle paralysis. Throughout all this, Jennie's love for them never wavered.

Survivors include: her husband of 64 years, Virgil, and children: Tim (Sarah), Jerilee (Michael) Avery, Mark (Barbara), Dawna, and Janna. Grandchildren: Faith, Jonathan, and Benjamin Avery, Matthew, Rachel, Isaac and Katie Peters. She is also survived by her sister Donna (Irwin) Koehn, her brother Stan (Mildred) Schmidt, and her brother-in-law Homer Andres. She was preceded in death by her parents John and Irma Schmidt, her sister Betty (Schmidt) Andres, and her grandson Luke Peters.

Jennie's visitation will be at Unger Funeral Home in Mt Angel on Friday Sept. 24 from 4-7 pm. Her burial will be at Zion Mennonite Church in Hubbard on Saturday Sept. 25 at 9 am, followed by an outdoor memorial service (please plan accordingly)  at Calvary Mennonite Church in Aurora at 10 am.

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to: Mennonite Central Committee, PO Box 500, Akron, PA 117501-9989 phone 1-888-563-4676