Orvis Peters

Little Rock, IA

     Orvis Peters age 72 of Little Rock, Iowa died Tuesday, January 11, 2022 at Sanford USD Medical Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

     Funeral services will be 10:30 AM Saturday, January 15, 2022 at Salem Reformed Church in Little Rock, Iowa with Reverend Barry Wynveen, officiating.  Burial will follow in the Pleasant View at Little Rock.  A livestream link will be available to view the funeral service at jurrensfuneralhome.com

UPDATE:

     Visitation will be Friday, January 14^th from 4:00 to 8:00 PM with the family present from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at Salem Reformed Church in Little Rock.  Due to the weather there will also be visitation prior to the service from 9:00 AM until 10:00 AM on Saturday, January 15th, to accommodate those who do not feel safe to travel on Friday.

     Orvis Lee Peters was born on November 2, 1949, at Sibley, Iowa, the son of Russell and Jennie (Dammer) Peters.  He grew up in rural Little Rock and attended Little Rock High School through the 11th grade and then attended Northwest Iowa Vocational School where he graduated from the Welding Program in 1969.  After vocational school, Orvis held various welding jobs before starting to farm in 1971 with his dad, Russell, and later with his brother, Kennis, to form ROK Peters, Inc. until 2003.  Orvis and Cory began farming together in 2004 and he also started Orvis Peters Trucking at that time.

     Orvis was a lifetime member of the Salem Reformed Church; he and Diane Hofstra were married there on July 15, 1969.  Orvis and Diane were married exactly two years to the date after they first met at a Lyon County 4-H workshop in 1967.   Soon after they were married they lived northwest of Little Rock and in 1978 they moved to the home place where Cory now lives.  In 2013, they moved to their new home in Little Rock. 

     Orvis served on the Lyon County Fair Board for over 45 years and also served as the 4-H Horse Project Superintendent for over 35 years.  His interest in 4-H began in 1960 and he never missed the Lyon County Fair in 58 years. Orvis was very proud to receive the Lyon County 4-H Alumni of the Year award with Diane and the kids in 2017 and in 2018, Orvis and Diane were honored to be inducted into the Iowa 4-H Hall of Fame.

     Farming the land and caring for livestock was something that was very important to Orvis.  He loved Angus cattle and was always excited when the first baby calf was born.  Orvis was a long-time member of the American Quarter Horse Association and shared his love for horses with all of his kids on trailrides, area horse shows, and of course at the Lyon County Fair.  Orvis also loved to go on tractor rides with his IH 350 Utility or 8N Ford tractors and collecting pedal tractors was something he enjoyed in retirement.

     The trucking business brought him much satisfaction and he thoroughly enjoyed hauling grain and seed beans for several farmers.  He was very devoted to being timely with each load.  Orvis was more concerned about the relationships he had with so many people than the profits of the loads.  In 2019, he said it was time to retire from driving truck as he was 70 years old and had never had an accident. 

     Orvis was very proud of his four children and seven grandchildren and took great pride in teaching them responsibility, leadership, a strong work ethic, and the value of conversation with others.

     On December 28, 2021, Orvis became a patient at Sanford USD Medical Center and passed away there on January 11, 2022, at the age of seventy-two. 

     Surviving is his wife of fifty-two years, Diane of Little Rock, along with four children, Laura (Denis) Nachtigal of Little Rock, Rhonda Peters of Little Rock, Cory (Abbie) Peters of Little Rock, Paula (Nate) Van Briesen of Grinnell.  Seven grandchildren, Chad Nachtigal, Jill Nachtigal and fiancé, Caleb Chedester, Wyatt, Ben, and Dylann Peters, Brock and Beckett Van Briesen, one brother; Kennis (Sandy) Peters of Little Rock, one brother-in-law; Marvin Peterson of Rock Rapids, special family friends; Erik (Marianne) Koolhof from the Netherlands; nieces, nephews, cousins, and a host of many coffee drinking friends.

     Preceding Orvis in death are his parents, Russell and Jennie Peters, his parents-in-law, Dick and Fannie Hofstra, and sister-in-law, Mary Peterson.