Published: October 08, 2008 09:51 am      

Dedication held for Peters memorial dock

CAMANCHE — The city of Camanche held a dedication ceremony for the Terry Peters Memorial Fishing Dock on Tuesday night.

Peters was a jet engine mechanic and worked for Alliance Pipeline for nine years, managing a pipeline pump station in Tampico, Ill. An avid riverman, Peters was best known for a positive attitude, helping his friends and neighbors and saying, “Life is good.” Peters battled bladder cancer last year, but passed away May 27, 2007.

Alliance Pipeline donated $10,000 to the city for the dock project in Peters’ honor. The Camanche City Council approved spending $2,500 from the city’s Reserve Fund for the project and the Parks and Recreation Commission contributed the final $3,000 needed for completion of the project.

The dock, constructed by the Clark Boat Company of Bellevue, is an 8-foot, 3-inch wide and 24-foot long pontoon dock with a 40-foot, 4-inch walkway covered by rubber covering, with railings and aluminum benches.

Tuesday’s rain didn’t dampen the spirits of the dozens of family and friends who attended the ceremony, held at the Camanche Fire Station instead of the riverfront due to the inclement weather. Mayor Jim Robertson began the ceremony by saying it was a pleasure and honor to be dedicating the dock to Peters and to recognize the efforts of Alliance Pipeline and the Peters family in providing such a wonderful addition to the city’s riverfront.

“They say life is short, and for some that’s far too true. The contribution made by Alliance Pipeline and the efforts of Terry’s family and friends will ensure that his memory lives on. Terry loved the river and how appropriate that this memorial is in this beautiful setting on the shore of the river that Terry enjoyed so much,” Robertson said. “On behalf of the city of Camanche, I want to thank Alliance Pipeline, Connie Peters and her family and friends for their thoughtfulness and for the gift that they have provided to our community.”

Robertson read a mayoral proclamation, stating the fishing dock was forever to be known as the Terry Peters Memorial Fishing Dock.

“How appropriate is it that Terry’s name will forever be associated with our riverfront,” Robertson remarked.

Connie Peters, wife of Terry, thanked the audience for coming to the dedication, commenting that the large turnout for the ceremony was a tribute to the kind of guy Terry was. She said that while some people may have been surprised by the generosity of Alliance Pipeline in its $10,000 donation to the city for a memorial of Terry, she said the family was well aware of the company’s greatness.

“We saw it every day. Terry loved that company. They were all about family, they were about community. Terry had those same expectations,” she said.

Connie thanked Alliance Pipeline and Mike Ohrt, Terry’s childhood friend for spearheading the project with the city and the company, saying he did a wonderful job. Connie then thanked Camanche Public Works Director Dave Rickertsen and City Administrator Tom Roth for their work on the project, the city council and Parks and Recreation Commission for contributing to the project and Carl Clark and the Clark Boat Company for constructing such a wonderful dock. She said a plaque is being created containing Terry’s name, birth and death dates and the phrase, “Life is good on the Mississippi.”

Connie also thanked her children, friends, family, co-workers and neighbors for being there for her during her difficult times. She said life is full of challenges, including some that bring people to their knees, but having people there when that happens is what helps one get back up. She again thanked everyone and invited the group to a fish fry after the celebration at the home of family friends’ Mike and Deb Liles.

Bryson Peters, Terry’s son, read a poem entitled “I Am Not Here.” He joked that anyone who knew his dad would know that his dad couldn’t have rested at his gravesite for long after the funeral.

Bryson said his dad likely was resting by the riverside, enjoying the sunshine and the Mississippi, just as he did in life. Chelsea Peters, Terry’s daughter, said she is very happy to have the dock in place, as it will be a place on the river she can go and remember her father. Both Bryson and Chelsea expressed gratitude to those who contributed the dock project and have been close with the family.

Ron Peters said his brother’s love affair with the river began in 1972, when both were serving in the military. Ron said Terry advised that when released from service, they were buying a boat. Ron said his brother soon moved up to a bigger boat motor because he loved speed. Ron described several boats Terry owned through the years, noting how much spending time on the river with friends and family meant to Terry.

The family gathered at the front of the room and performed a ribbon cutting for the dock, officially dedicating it as the Terry Peters Memorial Fishing Dock. Robertson concluded the ceremony by saying he is honored to accept the gift of the dock on behalf of the residents of the city of Camanche and knows the community will enjoy using the dock tremendously for many years to come.

Roth called the ceremony a celebration, a dedication and a tribute to Terry Peters. He said the dock has been placed at the Fifth Avenue boat dock on a trial basis, and if the city determines the site is the best placement, the location will be improved through landscaping.