Peter J. Levering

Peter James Levering, 84, of Grand Island died Oct. 26, 2013, at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, following a short battle with cancer. Memorial services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 16, 2013, at Kingdom Hall of Jehovahs Witnesses, 2425 S. Webb Road, with Robert Fisher officiating. Peter was born Jan. 18, 1929, in Hayti, S.D., to John and Hattie Levering. At a young age he moved with his family to Doon, Iowa. Peter completed the eighth grade in Doon. The family then moved to Rock Rapids, Iowa. Upon graduating from high school, he enlisted in the Army. After basic training, he spent one year in Tokyo, Japan. Upon his return, he spent three years with Bell Telephone. He found great delight in studying the Bible and in 1950, Peter became one of Jehovahs Witnesses. He enjoyed sharing the comforting message from the Bible about the future with all who would listen. He married Arleta Chilewski on Nov. 3, 1956. This year would have been their 57th wedding anniversary. They raised four children together, moving to Norfolk for a brief time but residing for 52 years in Grand Island. He was very proud of his family and happy they followed his spiritual lead. Peter became skilled at construction and concrete and worked at various construction sites around the state. Many places around Grand Island bear his trademark PJL in the concrete. When he retired he got a lot of satisfaction by volunteering and using his knowledge of construction and concrete to help build Kingdom Halls for Jehovahs Witnesses. He loved to garden and take pictures of the beautiful flowers that grew around the Levering home. Peter is survived by his wife, Arleta of Grand Island; a daughter, Charlene Levering of Grand Island; three sons and daughters-in-law, Randall and Renee Levering of Warwick, N.Y., Wayne and Dana Levering of Verona, N.J., and Lawrence and Sarah Levering of St. Paul; two grandsons, Aaron and Alex; one brother, Walter of Des Moines, Iowa; one sister, Mildred Levering of Sioux Falls, S.D.; and three nephews and their families. He was preceded in death by his parents and numerous uncles, aunts and cousins.