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W.H. (Bill) Peters, 96, crossed peacefully over to Heaven in his Bryan home at 10:55 pm on Tuesday, June 5. Born on January 12, 1922 in Glen Allen, Missouri, the oldest of 12 children of Willie and Edna Peters, he moved to Montpelier, Ohio in 1940 when he began work on the Norfolk and Southern Railroad where he was Chief Train Dispatcher until his retirement in 1979. Bill served in the U.S. Army during WW2 providing rail services to the troups in North Africa and Italy, but he really wanted to be a fighter pilot. After returning from the war he went on to get his pilot’s license and was the first pilot to solo out of the Montpelier airport. An inventor holding several U.S. Patents, he started a small company in 1950 in Montpelier, initially called Sterrett Industries but later changed to Manta-Ray, Inc. His business outgrew the small building on Wabash and in 1984 he relocated to West Unity, where the company is still producing the products that he developed.
Bill is survived by his wife of almost 52 years, Marjorie, 2 sons, Kevin and Steve , 6 daughters, Claire Watson of Bryan, Judy Anderson of Utah, Paula Thompson of Arizona, June and Christy of California and Penny of Arkansas, 28 grandchildren, 58 great-grandchildren, 4 great-great grandchildren, 2 brothers and 1 sister. Preceding him in death were 5 sisters, 1 half sister , 1 half brother and 2 grandchildren.
He was a member of First Baptist Church, Bryan, where services are scheduled for Monday, June 11, visitation 10:00-1:00 and service at 1:00. His earthly body will be laid to rest at Schiffler Cemetery, but his spiritual body is already residing with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.