Peters, James

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Obituary

James "Jimmy" "Shakey" Peters
(October 2, 1922 - October 11, 2006)

James “Jimmy”, “Shakey” M. Peters, age 84, of Lost Creek Drive in Marquette and formerly of Munising and White Lake, Michigan, died on Wednesday, October 11, 2006 at 6:25 p.m. at the Norlite Nursing Center in Marquette. He was born on October 2, 1922 in Verdun, Quebec to William and Chrissy (Meldrum) Peters. Jimmy grew up in Verdun where he played youth hockey for the Verdun Canadians. At the age of eighteen, he went away to play for the Oshawa Generals in the Ontario Major Junior League before being drafted by the New York Americans in 1941 and sent to play for their farm team, the Springfield Indians in Massachusetts for the 1941-1942 season. In 1942, Jimmy was drafted and served in the Canadian Army as a member of the Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. He served in England, France, Belgium, Holland, and Germany before his discharge in 1945. While on leave in 1943, Jimmy married Olive Norton and while back overseas, their twin son and daughter were born in June 1944. When he returned home in 1945, he was met at the railroad station and informed that the Montreal Canadiens had drafted him. The Canadiens drove him directly to the Montreal Forum where he played his first NHL game that night before he even got to see his wife or twins for the first time! Jimmy started his NHL career by winning the 1945-46 Stanley Cup with the Canadiens. After the 1946-47 seasons, he was traded to the Boston Bruins and played there for two years. Jimmy was named Boston’s MVP during one of those seasons. At the age of 27, the veteran winger was acquired by Detroit from Boston and had great success finishing first in the NHL all three seasons in Detroit, and winning the Stanley Cup in 1949-50 and 1953-54. In his nine NHL seasons, Jimmy played in 574 regular season games scoring 125 goals with 150 assists (and 186 penalty minutes.) He also played in 60 playoff games netting 5 goals and 9 assists. Shakey has the distinct honor of having his name engraved on the Stanley Cup three times.

Jimmy was a founding member of the Red Wing Alumni Association in 1955 and was very involved and dedicated to its activities for over 45 years. The Alumni was a great philanthropic vehicle for raising monies for numerous local and national charities. Jimmy felt so strongly for what the Alumni did that even when he could no longer play in the games, he would be found skating around the rink as a referee for the Old timer’s games. Jimmy truly loved the game. Following his professional hockey career, Jimmy was a successful and respected business and salesman in the greater Detroit area. He and Olive lived in White Lake until moving to Munising in 2004.

Jimmy also was an avid golfer. He enjoyed the short golf season in Michigan and then spent much of the winter in Florida where he played as much as possible. Jimmy also enjoyed socializing with family, friends, and business acquaintances. He loved children and especially enjoyed his great-grandchildren.

He is survived by his wife of over sixty-three years – Olive Peters of Marquette; daughters – Myrna Peters of Marquette and June (Dr. John) Downs of Munising; son James S. (Nancy) Peters of Saxton River, Vermont; granddaughter – Dr. Erinn (Sean) Downs Kelly of Cleveland, Ohio; grandsons – Robert (Tricia) Downs of Munising; Timothy Peters of Burlington, Vermont; and Andrew Peters of Hemet, California; great-grandchildren – Bailey and Taylor Downs and Brendon Ward; sisters – Janet Currie of Burnaby, British Columbia and Joan Menzies of Vancouver, British Columbia; brother – William (Dinese) Peters of St. Hilaire, Quebec; sister-in-law – Corrine Peters of Burnaby, British Columbia; and numerous nieces and nephews. His parents and a brother Walter Peters preceded Jimmy in death.

A private family memorial service will be held at a later date. Memorials in memory of Jimmy may be directed to the charity of one’s choosing. Condolences may be shared with the family by sending them to Olive Peters, 401 Lost Creek, Marquette, Michigan 49855.

Submitted by Char Livermore