Thomas Lee Peters, 74, of Gibson City passed away peacefully on Sunday (Oct. 25, 2020) at Bromenn Medical Center, Normal.
He was born in Paxton on Dec. 8, 1945 and was a lifelong Gibson City resident. His parents, Howard and Marjorie (Underwood) Peters, preceded him in death.
Mr. Peters is survived by his sisters, Diane Dooley of Franklin, Patsy Clapper of Champaign and Debbie Little of Rantoul. He is also survived by his children, Brady Peters of Warsaw, Indiana and Andrea (Kevin) Dunahee of Fisher.
He joins his parents, aunts, uncles and special grandparent Henry Underwood with his passing.
Tom was employed many years as a welder, machinist and millwright for H J Peters Repair Service and later assumed the family business as Tom Peters Repair. He worked as a union ironworker prior to this and took great pride in telling the stories of building overpasses and bridges on the interstate systems in central Illinois.
Tom had a bit of an ornery side and was well known in the area as a master of mischief and adventure in his youth. He experimented in many things that went "boom" and had an affinity for reptiles and critters of all types. His stories range from a few encounters with local policemen to blowing up a local sewer system; we believe he even tried to fly once (or twice). Building literally anything was a gift of his, and many of his customers will recall a familiar saying of his when attempting to describe what was to be built: “Just draw me a picture.” One does not have to look very far to see something he created or repaired in Gibson.
Tom was well known for doing just about anything to help someone. Whether it was repairing a hand railing for ease of access to a home or business to designing a means to assist someone to achieve a task in which they were limited, he was on the job. Many times customers came with a seemingly complex project, and he got them through it; and if you were his customer, you were a friend — for life.
He loved his friends, and he loved life. His many late nights at the "shop" were some of his most special times with friends, swapping stories and solving world problems. The coffee circles, even though they moved throughout the years, were his escape to the tales he and his closest people told. He was proud of his children and wanted the best for everyone. If he was joking with you, pulling a prank or causing your hair to stand up — he liked you. Many times we have heard, “There is only one Tom.”
Tom loved the Sangamon River and many times went there on a hot summer day. He loved his gardening and enjoyed being outside. He loved his neighborhood kids and thought of them as the "grandchildren he didn’t have." He had special friends in Declan Duke and Mitchell Heinz, who kept him going with yard work, golf-cart rides and sharing stories.
He will be greatly missed, and his many talents now belong to the ages.
News -Gazette, The (Champaign-Urbana, IL)
He was born in Paxton on Dec. 8, 1945 and was a lifelong Gibson City resident. His parents, Howard and Marjorie (Underwood) Peters, preceded him in death.
Mr. Peters is survived by his sisters, Diane Dooley of Franklin, Patsy Clapper of Champaign and Debbie Little of Rantoul. He is also survived by his children, Brady Peters of Warsaw, Indiana and Andrea (Kevin) Dunahee of Fisher.
He joins his parents, aunts, uncles and special grandparent Henry Underwood with his passing.
Tom was employed many years as a welder, machinist and millwright for H J Peters Repair Service and later assumed the family business as Tom Peters Repair. He worked as a union ironworker prior to this and took great pride in telling the stories of building overpasses and bridges on the interstate systems in central Illinois.
Tom had a bit of an ornery side and was well known in the area as a master of mischief and adventure in his youth. He experimented in many things that went "boom" and had an affinity for reptiles and critters of all types. His stories range from a few encounters with local policemen to blowing up a local sewer system; we believe he even tried to fly once (or twice). Building literally anything was a gift of his, and many of his customers will recall a familiar saying of his when attempting to describe what was to be built: “Just draw me a picture.” One does not have to look very far to see something he created or repaired in Gibson.
Tom was well known for doing just about anything to help someone. Whether it was repairing a hand railing for ease of access to a home or business to designing a means to assist someone to achieve a task in which they were limited, he was on the job. Many times customers came with a seemingly complex project, and he got them through it; and if you were his customer, you were a friend — for life.
He loved his friends, and he loved life. His many late nights at the "shop" were some of his most special times with friends, swapping stories and solving world problems. The coffee circles, even though they moved throughout the years, were his escape to the tales he and his closest people told. He was proud of his children and wanted the best for everyone. If he was joking with you, pulling a prank or causing your hair to stand up — he liked you. Many times we have heard, “There is only one Tom.”
Tom loved the Sangamon River and many times went there on a hot summer day. He loved his gardening and enjoyed being outside. He loved his neighborhood kids and thought of them as the "grandchildren he didn’t have." He had special friends in Declan Duke and Mitchell Heinz, who kept him going with yard work, golf-cart rides and sharing stories.
He will be greatly missed, and his many talents now belong to the ages.
News -Gazette, The (Champaign-Urbana, IL)
Thomas Lee Peters, 74, of Gibson City passed away peacefully on Sunday (Oct. 25, 2020) at Bromenn Medical Center, Normal.
He was born in Paxton on Dec. 8, 1945 and was a lifelong Gibson City resident. His parents, Howard and Marjorie (Underwood) Peters, preceded him in death.
Mr. Peters is survived by his sisters, Diane Dooley of Franklin, Patsy Clapper of Champaign and Debbie Little of Rantoul. He is also survived by his children, Brady Peters of Warsaw, Indiana and Andrea (Kevin) Dunahee of Fisher.
He joins his parents, aunts, uncles and special grandparent Henry Underwood with his passing.
Tom was employed many years as a welder, machinist and millwright for H J Peters Repair Service and later assumed the family business as Tom Peters Repair. He worked as a union ironworker prior to this and took great pride in telling the stories of building overpasses and bridges on the interstate systems in central Illinois.
Tom had a bit of an ornery side and was well known in the area as a master of mischief and adventure in his youth. He experimented in many things that went "boom" and had an affinity for reptiles and critters of all types. His stories range from a few encounters with local policemen to blowing up a local sewer system; we believe he even tried to fly once (or twice). Building literally anything was a gift of his, and many of his customers will recall a familiar saying of his when attempting to describe what was to be built: “Just draw me a picture.” One does not have to look very far to see something he created or repaired in Gibson.
Tom was well known for doing just about anything to help someone. Whether it was repairing a hand railing for ease of access to a home or business to designing a means to assist someone to achieve a task in which they were limited, he was on the job. Many times customers came with a seemingly complex project, and he got them through it; and if you were his customer, you were a friend — for life.
He loved his friends, and he loved life. His many late nights at the "shop" were some of his most special times with friends, swapping stories and solving world problems. The coffee circles, even though they moved throughout the years, were his escape to the tales he and his closest people told. He was proud of his children and wanted the best for everyone. If he was joking with you, pulling a prank or causing your hair to stand up — he liked you. Many times we have heard, “There is only one Tom.”
Tom loved the Sangamon River and many times went there on a hot summer day. He loved his gardening and enjoyed being outside. He loved his neighborhood kids and thought of them as the "grandchildren he didn’t have." He had special friends in Declan Duke and Mitchell Heinz, who kept him going with yard work, golf-cart rides and sharing stories.
He will be greatly missed, and his many talents now belong to the ages.
News -Gazette, The (Champaign-Urbana, IL)
He was born in Paxton on Dec. 8, 1945 and was a lifelong Gibson City resident. His parents, Howard and Marjorie (Underwood) Peters, preceded him in death.
Mr. Peters is survived by his sisters, Diane Dooley of Franklin, Patsy Clapper of Champaign and Debbie Little of Rantoul. He is also survived by his children, Brady Peters of Warsaw, Indiana and Andrea (Kevin) Dunahee of Fisher.
He joins his parents, aunts, uncles and special grandparent Henry Underwood with his passing.
Tom was employed many years as a welder, machinist and millwright for H J Peters Repair Service and later assumed the family business as Tom Peters Repair. He worked as a union ironworker prior to this and took great pride in telling the stories of building overpasses and bridges on the interstate systems in central Illinois.
Tom had a bit of an ornery side and was well known in the area as a master of mischief and adventure in his youth. He experimented in many things that went "boom" and had an affinity for reptiles and critters of all types. His stories range from a few encounters with local policemen to blowing up a local sewer system; we believe he even tried to fly once (or twice). Building literally anything was a gift of his, and many of his customers will recall a familiar saying of his when attempting to describe what was to be built: “Just draw me a picture.” One does not have to look very far to see something he created or repaired in Gibson.
Tom was well known for doing just about anything to help someone. Whether it was repairing a hand railing for ease of access to a home or business to designing a means to assist someone to achieve a task in which they were limited, he was on the job. Many times customers came with a seemingly complex project, and he got them through it; and if you were his customer, you were a friend — for life.
He loved his friends, and he loved life. His many late nights at the "shop" were some of his most special times with friends, swapping stories and solving world problems. The coffee circles, even though they moved throughout the years, were his escape to the tales he and his closest people told. He was proud of his children and wanted the best for everyone. If he was joking with you, pulling a prank or causing your hair to stand up — he liked you. Many times we have heard, “There is only one Tom.”
Tom loved the Sangamon River and many times went there on a hot summer day. He loved his gardening and enjoyed being outside. He loved his neighborhood kids and thought of them as the "grandchildren he didn’t have." He had special friends in Declan Duke and Mitchell Heinz, who kept him going with yard work, golf-cart rides and sharing stories.
He will be greatly missed, and his many talents now belong to the ages.
News -Gazette, The (Champaign-Urbana, IL)
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