Howard Robertson Peters, 1917 – 2005

Howard Peters was born May 17, 1917, in Richmond, Va., to the Rev. J. Sydney Peters and Sara Lee Robertson Peters. He was educated in the public schools of Richmond, Newport News, Petersburg, and Salem. He received his B.A. from Roanoke College in 1938, his Bachelor of Theology from Princeton in 1941 and his Master of Theology from Princeton in 1943. He relished his experience of study at Princeton and once met and spoke with Albert Einstein while there.

Howard Peters was a fourth generation minister, three of whom were Methodist and one was Baptist. While at Princeton, he was ordained by the Presbytery of New Brunswick and served Clinton Avenue Presbyterian Church of Trenton, N.J., and Lawrence Road Presbyterian Church of New Brunswick, N.J. In October of 1943, he returned to the Methodist Church of Virginia and was appointed to the Elliston-Shawsville Charge. After Elliston-Shawsville, he served Fairview in Roanoke; Lakeside and Barton Heights in Richmond; First Church, Hampton; First Church, Charlottesville; Ghent in Norfolk; Williamsburg in Williamsburg; Trinity in Alexandria; Monumental in Portsmouth; and Crossman in Falls Church. He retired in June of 1986 and in retirement served Trinity of Roanoke until 1991.

Howard Peters served on numerous boards and agencies of the Virginia Conference including the Children’s Home, The Hermitage, the Board of Ordained Ministry and the Virginia United Methodist Credit Union, where he was one of the earliest members.

He loved the ministry of the local church and served in that capacity for 48 years. He was a wonderfully effective preacher who crafted his sermons carefully but never used notes in his delivery. Many times after studying and preparing to write his sermon he would sleep and find when he awakened, his sermon was well in place in his mind. This was a great gift from God. His congregations loved his powerful preaching, his warm smile, and genuine compassion. He was instrumental in mentoring a number of persons who acknowledged their call to ministry during his tenure.

He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Alice Lindsey Peters, who shared her beautiful soprano voice with all of the churches her husband served. Their four children are Lindsey Christiansen, the Rev. John Peters, Dr. Mary Lee Peters, and Eliza Wagner.

— The Rev. John B. Peters