West Bend – The community lost a remarkable woman on Sunday morning, August 31, 2025, with the passing of Myra Peters, 96. Born July 2, 1929, in the small town of Elderon, Wisconsin, near Wittenberg, Myra carried with her the values of resourcefulness, hard work, and joy in sharing knowledge.
“My mom was a wonderful, lovely little lady,” said her daughter Jeannine Peters Belongia. “She was vivacious and vibrant and always open to sharing information. People leaned on her as a local resource, and she was so proud to make a difference in the lives of families.”
After attending Wittenberg High School, Myra found her calling as a Washington County Home Agent, a role that might sound unusual today but was essential in the 1950s.
“A home agent was like a professional mom,” Jeannine said. “She knew how to do everything. She would travel around the county, going into people’s homes and teaching women life skills—everything from baking bread and removing stains to repairing radios and caning chairs. She was teaching home science before it even had a name.”
Nancy Mehring remembered Myra Peters, as a forever friend whose charming creativity touched everyone she met.
“Through thoughtful articles in the local newspapers she made our community shine. Passionate about nutrition, Myra shared unique recipes and wellness tips to keep others healthy. She will be remembered for her laughter, her fun spirit and her deep pride for being Polish.”
Myra’s gift for teaching carried into countless classes, workshops, and county fair contests. She often judged pies, cookies, and baking competitions at the Washington County Fair, her eye always searching for a perfectly flaky pie crust or a well-risen loaf of bread.
Nancy Van Vooren of West Bend remembered times spent with her friend Myra, and she quickly realized life around her would never be ordinary.
One of her earliest memories was supper in Myra’s Garden. “She served us food with real flowers on it,” Nancy said. “I was a little afraid, to tell you the truth. But she assured me they were edible without killing you. I bit into one and it wasn’t too bad. That was Myra—always unique, always a step ahead of everyone else.”
Food and humor seemed to follow Myra everywhere. When sprouts became the craze, she packed up her bags of supplies and was invited to little churches across the county to give talks. Nancy tagged along, carrying the bags and chuckling at Myra’s ability to turn nutrition into a performance. “She was a riot,” Nancy said. “You could hardly stand it sometimes—you’d be laughing so much.”
One of their great adventures together was learning to make strudel. After reading one of Myra’s newspaper columns, Nancy joined Myra and another friend for lessons from Mrs. Knable, a Yugoslavian farmwoman who lived on Arthur Road.
The three women practiced, pulled dough, and fussed over fillings until they felt like “sort-of experts.” They even threw a dinner party in Mrs. Knable’s honor, proudly presenting their own specialties—only to have her arrive with a great big box of strudel.
“Well, nobody wanted our food,” Nancy remembered. “Everybody wanted strudel!”
That became the story of Myra’s circle: laughter, food, and learning. They were even invited to Cedar Lake Home to give a demonstration. Residents peeled apples while Nancy and the others explained their steps. “Of course, one lady told me I was making strudel all wrong,” Nancy laughed again. “But that was the joy of it—everything with Myra turned into a laugh.”
Through all the fun, Nancy admired Myra’s depth. As Washington County’s home economist, she educated families, wrote witty columns that rivaled Irma Bombeck, and kept homemakers inspired with practical wisdom. Later, she devoted her time to helping others—whether driving cancer patients to appointments or visiting people she had once served through her work.
“She was different from anyone I’d ever known,” Nancy said. “Unique, thoughtful, hilarious—and always teaching me something new. I’ll miss her dearly.”
Perhaps most remembered, though, was Myra’s weekly newspaper column, The Woman’s Touch, which ran in the West Bend News for many years. In it, Myra blended recipes with stories of local people, preserving both flavors and memories of the community.
Nutrition became her passion, especially her quirky and beloved belief in sprouts. “She was putting sprouts in everything,” Jeannine said. “Her book was called Simply Delicious Sprouts. She had sprouts in breads, casseroles, even appetizers. I used to check the ground beef wrapper to make sure she hadn’t slipped sprouts into the hamburgers.”
Myra shared her sprout know-how across southeastern Wisconsin, giving talks at schools, community centers, and health programs long before “wellness” became a modern buzzword. “She really believed feeding the family was essential, and that a meal at the table was important,” Jeannine said. “She was decades ahead of her time when it came to healthy living.”
That belief spilled over into her children’s lives as well. The family opened Natural Energies, a health store on Paradise Drive in West Bend, inspired by Myra’s passion. She often gave talks at Paradise Springs Health and Wellness Center, where crowds packed in to hear her advice on nutrition, supplements, and the latest in healthy living.
“She could always draw a crowd,” Jeannine said. “And she always brought samples. People loved her for it.”
Myra was also remembered as the family’s stain expert, the one who could rescue spa robes after a tea bag was left in a pocket or fix a favorite shirt with the right mixture of soap and patience. “She really was the go-to for everything,” Jeannine said.
Married to Glenn Peters, the builder (not to be confused with Glenn of Glenn’s Grill), Myra built her life in West Bend, raising her family while making her mark on the broader community.
“She just thought West Bend was great,” Jeannine said. “She loved being a part of the community.”
Jeannine summed up her mother’s life in one simple phrase: “1929 was a very good year. They just don’t make them like that anymore.”
A complete obituary on Myra Peters will be published shortly.
Feel free to share your stories and memories of Myra Peters.
Amazing story on Myra. Myra’s daughter Jeannine called this morning, crying and explaining what a marvelous job you did. she was very, very happy. I will read it to you. My goodness words can’t convey how you, Judy touched I am by the simply wonderful tribute to Myra. Thank you for spearheading that it was just heartwarming to hear all the fun stories from you and Nancy Van Vooren …..firsthand accounts of Myra spreading the joy I can’t wait to read it with Glenn and please know you have given us an immeasurable gift to make a smile through our tears. She was a little local legend . . And thank you, my dear Judy.