Obituary of Ricky Neil Peters

Ricky Neil Peters, resident of Colorado Springs, Colorado, passed away on October 1st, in the year of Our Lord, 2023 at the age of 76.

Rick was born in Mountain Lake, Minesota, in 1947. He was the eldest of three children (Ricky, Roger, and Paula). The second born, Roger, died as an infant so Rick never really knew his brother. His family moved to Ellenwood, Kansas in 1948 and then El Paso, Texas in 1950 where he spent most of his childhood.

In 1965 his family moved to Lynwood, California, at which time he entered the Navy. In 1969 he transferred to the Naval reserves. After coming back from the Navy, Rick didn’t know very many people in town and so his mom introduced him to a girl named Vicki whom she worked with. 

Rick and Vicki married in 1970. A few years later they bought their first house in Pico Rivera, CA and started a family. Rick worked as a supermarket clerk, a roofer, he restocked newspaper machines, he worked at Flintco construction, and finally at Southern California Edison for 40 years.

The biggest event in Rick’s life came in 1987. Vicki and the children were praying a nine month novena for Rick’s conversion to the Catholic faith every day while he was at work. While driving between locations for his job, Rick would often pass by Catholic churches and would feel the urge to stop. He often did stop and go inside because he felt that there was a person inside the tabernacle calling to him. He was basically a non-Catholic making visits to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament! Right at the end of the nine month novena Rick asked a priest what he needed to do to become Catholic. That same year he made his first Holy Communion alongside his seven year old son Elliot, in the chapel at Thomas Aquinas College, in Santa Paula, CA. From that moment on Rick grew in holiness and truly began to “put on Christ”.

In 2013 Rick retired and in 2015 he and Vicki moved to Colorado Springs to be with the rest of the family who had begun to relocate there starting in 2012. In 2016 Rick and Vicki celebrated their 46th wedding anniversary. The following year Vicki passed away after a stroke. Rick missed her terribly and for the next few years, until he became ill, could be seen at daily Mass praying for her. He was a very devoted husband and also prayed rosaries at her grave quite often.

Rick was an easy going, simple man, with a very great faith. He was a man of prayer, always speaking to God, and about God. He had a great devotion to Our Lady and the rosary, Venerable Fulton Sheen, and was a member of the Third Order of St. Norbert. He taught his children what it meant to be a good father and husband. He taught his children what it meant to love God with your whole heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself. He was always very generous and taught through example what it was to sacrifice for others.

In January of 2023 Rick was diagnosed with ROS1 lung cancer.  Even as he suffered through the cancer, he did not complain but continued to be his jovial self, always happy and smiling. It would have been very easy for him to complain, but he united his sufferings to those of Jesus on the cross and offered them all up to God. Even near the end, as he lay unable to speak, he made signs with his hands to convey that he was praying for all of his family.

Rick leaves behind seven children and fourteen grandchildren. 

He will be greatly missed.

Rosary, 5:00PM, Wednesday, October 11, 2023, The Springs Funeral Services-North, 6575 Oakwood Boulevard, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80923

Funeral Service, 10:30AM, Thursday, October 12, 2023, Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church, 626 Aspen Drive, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80911. 

Interment, 1:00PM, Thursday, October 12, 2023, Evergreen Cemetery, 1005 Hancock Expressway, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80903