Obituaries

Jennifer Suzanne Peters, 59, of University City, MO, was born in Cedar Rapids, IA, on February 5, 1965, and passed away peacefully in her home on February 7, 2024, in the company of her wife Jackie Mollet, her sister-in-law Julie Lakin, and her beloved cat, Sunny.

Jennifer is survived by her mother Sharon Peters (Keiper), brother Will (Crystal) Peters, her niece and nephews, Joe, Ella, and Sam, and many dear friends, family, and colleagues. She was preceded in death by her father, Bill Peters, in 2018.

Her love of music and acting began at an early age, taking guitar and violin lessons, and performing in school musicals. This carried into her high school and college years, eventually leading her to earn her Bachelor of Music degree at the University of Iowa in 1987. She was a cast member with the Theatre Cedar Rapids. Upon hearing the news of her passing, a former classmate wrote, “I remember her sweet, sweet smile and her kind and gentle spirit. She was so talented and humble, both in equal measure.”

Jennifer developed her passion for helping people and earned her license as a clinical massage therapist, studying anatomy and Neurokinetic Therapy. For more than 30 years she has served the massage therapist community. She was elected as the first VP of the Missouri Chapter of the American Massage Therapy Association and Chair of the Government Relations Committee, working to get bills passed for licensing standards and requirements. She received an Achievement Award in 1999. We have heard from many of Jen’s clients that she made a positive impact on their lives and their quality of life through massage therapy. Her dedication was evident when she continued to see clients throughout the pandemic while continuing with her own treatment regimen.

A Celebration of Jen will take place on April 6, 2024, at The Focal Point in Maplewood, MO, from 5:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. Email JensCelebration@gmail.com for questions or to RSVP.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial donation in her honor to strayhavenrescue.org or www.mowildlife.org