From the Wednesday, January 26, 2011 edition of the Fresno Bee: "Local philanthropist Alice A. Peters, whose family provided generous support to educational and cultural institutions for decades, died Monday at the age of 97. Mrs. Peters was the widow of Leon S. Peters, a Fresno business leader and co-founder of Valley Foundry, who died in 1983. The Peters family was well-known for giving to local charities through the Leon S. Peters Foundation. The organization gave millions of dollars to a number of philanthropic causes, including California State University, Fresno, Community Regional Medical Center and the now-defunct Fresno Metropolitan Museum. Mrs. Peters helped start the museum and served for many years as board president of the Leon S. Peters Foundation after her husband's death. In February 2002, Mrs. Peters started a scholarship fund for nursing students enrolled in the Extern Work Study Program through Community Medical Centers with a $300,000 gift to the Community Medical Foundation. At Fresno State, the Peters name adorns several buildings. The auditorium of the Leon S. Peters Business Building was named for Alice Peters in 1988. The Peters name is also on the school's business building, an educational center in the Student Recreation Center and two exhibition galleries in the Henry Madden Library. Mrs. Peters was the daughter of immigrants who came from the Armenian province of Bitlis to the United States in 1907 to escape persecution by the Ottoman Turks. She attended high school in Selma." Obituary for Alice Peters: Alice Peters was born on May 21, 1913, in Del Rey, California. She passed away on Monday, January 24, 2011. Alice was the daughter of John and Satenig Apregan who immigrated to the U.S. from Armenia. The family moved from Massachusetts, after hearing that the Central Valley was a great place to live. Alice was their first child born in California. Alice grew up with her two brothers, Aram and George Apregan, and two sisters, Leona Merzon and Mary Boyajian, in the small farming community of Del Rey. Alice attended elementary school in Del Rey and graduated from Selma High School. After her father's early death, she went to work to help support her mother and younger siblings. Alice met her future husband, Leon at Del Rey Packing. Leon was focused on developing his relatively new business, Valley Foundry and Machine Works to support the efforts of World War II. Ten years after they met, a simple friendship turned into a marriage in 1943 that would span four decades and see the names of Leon and Alice Peters' become symbols of dedicated community spirit and generous philanthropic giving. Alice and Leon Peters shared a great many efforts besides an enduring 41 year marriage. Their families came from the same Armenian province of Bitlis. They shared the same immigrant ethic that hard work would deliver opportunities unavailable to their parents. More importantly, they were both tirelessly dedicated to a number of causes designed to improve their adopted hometown of Fresno. Alice commented "Charity work is part of life. We all have to do some of it. Hospital work is my favorite." Alice did more than support her husband's extensive community activities. She had her own interests and passions. A charter member of Community Hospital's 'Women's Service Alliance', she was active in fundraising, not only for the hospital but also for California State University, Fresno, the Fresno Art Museum, the Fresno Zoo, and the California Armenian Home for the Aged. After Leon's passing in 1983, Alice led the Leon S. Peters Foundation in concert with her brother-in-law, Pete Peters to continue a legacy of giving to the Central Valley Community. Many local organizations continue to be the beneficiaries of the generosity of Alice and Leon Peters. Alice loved to paint and enjoyed working in her rose garden. Together with Leon, she traveled around the world long before it became commonplace to do so. Visits to their home were often filled with stories and pictures of travels to far off lands. Alice is survived by her sister, Leona Merzon; her nephew, Bruce Merzon and his wife Jackie Merzon of Fresno; nephew, Craig Apregan and his wife Pattie Apregan of Bend, Oregon; nephew, Jeff Apregan and his wife Nancy Apregan of Westlake Village, California. She is also survived by many nephews, nieces, grand-nephews, and grand-nieces within the Peters, Apregan and Merzon families. Friends and family are invited to Celebrate Alice's Life at the San Joaquin Country Club, 3484 West Bluff Avenue, in Fresno on Monday, January 31, 2011, from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. The family requests that remembrances be in the form of donations made to: Community Medical Foundation, c/o Alice Peters Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 1232, Fresno, California 93715; or CSUF Foundation, c/o Alice Peters Memorial Fund, 5244 North Jackson Avenue, M/S: KC45, Fresno, California 93740-8023.