Alma E. Peters, 96, of St. Joseph, passed away at 4:14 p.m., Wednesday, September 17, at home.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, September 22, 2008 at St. Patrick's Catholic Church, Urbana, Rev. Fr. Joseph Hogan will officiate. Burial will be in Mt. Olive Cemetery, Mayview. Visitation will be held from 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. Monday at the church. Renner-Wikoff Chapel and Crematory is in charge of arrangements.

Alma was born October 1, 1911, in Champaign, the daughter of John George and Margaret Sullivan Johnson. She was baptized at St. John's Church in Champaign and received her first communion at Holy Cross. She attended Holy Cross School where she was the valedictorian of her graduating class. She went on to attend Champaign High School and Champaign Business College. Following her graduation from high school, she accompanied her father on a trip to Sweden, visiting his birthplace and relatives living there. She was employed at Champaign County Farm Bureau office for four years.

She married Joseph Orval Peters on August 31, 1933, and moved to the country to join him in farming. They lived near East Lynn, Illinois, for two years, and then returned to the family farm in Mayview, where they farmed for the next 50 years. After their retirement from farming, they enjoyed traveling in their motor home and spending the winters in Texas until Orval's death in 1988. Two years later Alma moved to a small home in St. Joseph where she enjoyed walking and being with her family and friends.

She was a member of the St. Joseph Home Bureau, the TWT Camping Club, and St. Patrick's Church in Urbana. She enjoyed books on tape and taking rides to Homer Lake Park. Her family and her church were the most important things in her life.

Alma is survived by one son, Joseph, and his wife, Barbara, of St. Joseph; three daughters, Marguerite DeMoss and her husband, Charles, of Sibley, Mary Gallivan and her husband, John, of St. Joseph, and Patricia Amyx and her husband, Herb, of Wake Forest, North Carolina. She leaves 15 grandchildren, 2 step-grandchildren, 26 great-grandchildren, 5 step-great-grandchildren, and 4 great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by one brother, William E. Johnson.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to The High School of St. Thomas More, St. Patrick's Church, or Provena Hospice.

Condolences may be offered at www.renner-wikoffchapel.com.