Freda M. Ballou Peters
Apr 11, 2018Ballou Peters was born Dec. 28, 1927, in Depew, Oklahoma, to Fred and Rachel Ballou.Freda M. Ballou Peters was born Dec. 28, 1927, in Depew, Oklahoma, to Fred and Rachel Ballou.She lived in Konawa, Seminole and Oklahoma City before moving to Shawnee.Freda graduated from Shawnee High School in 1945. She met the love of her life, J.R. Peters, on Aug. 31, 1943, when she and her best friend Shurla Son were riding their bicycles down Kickapoo St. headed to the skating rink and a car driven by Eugene Farthing with J. R. pulled over to talk to the girls. Freda described J.R. in her diary as seeming to be “very nice, courteous, friendly-blue eyes.” J.R. proposed to Freda in his dump truck sitting in Van’s Pig Stand drive-in parking. Freda and J. R. were married on March 26, 1945, in the First Assembly of God Church in Shawnee and just celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary.Freda was a long-time member of First Assembly of God Church which later became Cornerstone Assembly. Her love for Christ, her faith and the Bible let to her holding many positions teaching and leading in her church. She was a Sunday school teacher, church secretary and treasurer, youth leader, women’s missionary leader, Missionette leader and many other positions before losing her eyesight. They enjoyed traveling by car and motor homes, camping along the way. They toured all 48 continental U.S. States and Canada, and Mexico. Freda especially loved the mountains and camping by streams and rivers.Freda and J.R. owned and operated J.R. Peters Plbg until they retired as well as owning Thunderbird Mobile Home Park and other rental properties in Shawnee. They purchased a 160 acres north of Earlsboro in 1972 and moved on to “the farm” in 2004. Freda loved planning and hosting all kinds of celebrations and get-togethers for family and friends on “the farm” for Christmas, Easter Sunrise Services and egg hunts, hayrides, Fourth of July celebrations and water baptism. In the spring and summer Freda would be on her tract... (Pawhuska Journal Capital)