Vince Peters

While I was in the bishopric in our ward, the missionaries taught an older gentleman by the name of Vince Peters.  He and his wife had lived next to a member family.  After his wife had passed away, he called his friend and asked about the Gospel and the beliefs with regards to an eternal family and eternal marriage.

From that conversation, the missionaries were invited to his home and he accepted the challenge to be baptized.  His friend actually performed the baptism.

Vince was most excited about having his wife sealed to him, and doing his genealogy.  A high-priest, Alan Peterson, was assigned to help him organize his genealogy.  He was able to go to the temple and be sealed to his wife, with someone acting as proxy for her.  He was also an instrument in doing much of his own genealogy work.

Vincent was already old and frail.  I visited him in his home and we helped him install a bar to make it easier for him to get out of bed.  He shared some of his history with us.  He had been a B-17 pilot in WWII and had also been a POW.  Bishop Orton helped him put together a brief history of these experiences.

see:
http://bwardlehistory.blogspot.com/2011/01/vince-peters-wwii-b-17-pilot-and-pow.html

Vince was taken from us too quickly.  After only a couple years in the ward he passed away.  His funeral was attended by many.  He was given an honor guard by the Marines with a trumpet playing taps.  It was a moving ceremony, and let us know the worth of an eternal marriage, sealed in the Temple of God.  How special our wives are to us men.