Carolyn Julene Peters, 88, of Lincoln, passed away peacefully Aug. 13, 2026, at Eventide (formerly Tabitha) Memory Care and entered the presence of her Lord. She was a cherished wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, aunt, and friend, and her loss will be felt deeply by all who knew her.
Carolyn was born in Mountain Lake, Minnesota, on Dec. 14, 1937, to Erdman and Mathilda Stoesz. She devoted her life first to her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and then to her family — convictions that shone through every season of her servant-hearted life.
To deepen her faith and prepare for a life of service, Carolyn attended Grace University in Omaha, graduating in 1960. There she gained more than an education — she gained a husband. Clayton Peters spotted her across the room at a fall party and was immediately smitten. The two married Sept. 3, 1961, in Butterfield, Minnesota.
Shortly after Clayton completed dental school, they spent two years, from 1963 to 1965, serving as missionaries in the Congo with Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) before returning home to raise three boys in Milford.
Music was one of Carolyn's great gifts. The Peters home was often filled with the sound of her playing the piano, and for many years she served as accompanist for the Milford High School choir. She was also active at Bellwood Mennonite Church and Faith Bible Church. But to her three active, always-hungry boys and husband, her most beloved talent was her cooking: tender pot roast, creamy mashed potatoes and gravy, savory hamloaf, and oh those desserts, crowned by her chewy chocolate chip cookies — affectionately known simply as "chippers."
As a homemaker, Carolyn ran her household with quiet devotion, living out her Christian faith by example. Her family cherished the sound of her gentle prayers, spoken with such sincerity and love. Yet Carolyn had a bold side too — like the day neighborhood boys bent the rim of her sons' basketball hoop. She threw open the kitchen window and, with unmistakable authority, told them to fix it. They did, without question. She knew how to raise boys — and when her sons married, she welcomed their wives to the family and cared lovingly for her three daughters-in-law.
Carolyn is survived by her husband of nearly 65 years, Clayton, of Lincoln; her sons, Carey (Beth) of Knoxville, Tennessee, and their children, Graham and Grace (Beau), Stacey (Becky) of Plainfield, Indiana, and their children Isabelle, Simeon, and Silas, and Chad (Liz) of Lincoln, and their children Ella and Claire. She is also survived by her sister, Kathy (Bruce) Harder of Portland, Oregon, along with numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Erdman and Mathilda Stoesz; her brother, Gary Stoesz; and her sister, Marjorie Nelsen.
A visitation will be at Butherus, Mather, & Love Funeral Home at 4040 A Street, Lincoln,on Friday, Aug. 21, from 6 – 7:30 p.m. The funeral will be at Faith Bible Church, at 6201 S 84th St., Lincoln, on Saturday, Aug. 22, at 3 p.m. A special thank you goes to the caring staff at Eventide for the past two years. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to Africa Inter-Mennonite Mission (AIMM).
Arrangements by Butherus, Maser & Love Funeral Home in Lincoln.
