Leo Peterson

The memorial service for Leo Peterson of Verndale will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 5, 2013, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Bertha. Friends may call at the church on Saturday from 9:30 a.m. until the time of service. At the age of 73, Leo passed away on September 29, 2013, at the VA Hospital in Fargo, ND. Leo Cecil Peterson was born to Harvey Charles and Ruth Melvina (Chilberg) Peterson on May 24, 1940, in Staples Township, Todd County, MN. He served in the United States Air Force from 1958 until his honorable discharge in 1962, and later served in the MN National Guard. Leo married Jeannie Tharon Higgins on April 6, 1963, in Lawrence, KS. They then moved to the Twin Cities, There he became a home builder and owner of Peterson’s Custom Homes, Inc. until 1980. At that time he moved his family to the farm, fulfilling his dream. There he enjoyed life on the farm for 33 years. Leo enjoyed collecting coins, guns, antiques, Civil War artifacts, books and agates. He found pleasure using his artistic side: drawing pictures, designing blueprints for the homes he built, building or refinishing furniture, and polishing rocks. He was a seeker of knowledge through reading, watching history programs, and keeping up with current events - from politics to weather in Hawaii! Leo savored being outdoors when deer hunting and especially on walks in the woods in the fall while viewing the changing leaves. Good times were had when he visited and shared humorous stories with his weekly Hewitt coffee group! He anticipated football season and watching the Vikings on TV. Leo was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, and the National Rifle Association. When in high school he participated in Future Farmers of America. Leo was preceded in death by his parents Harvey Peterson and Ruth Peterson Crabb; an infant son on April 10, 1970; brother Melvin LeRoy Peterson and sister Harriet Viola Peterson. He is survived by his wife Jeannie of Verndale; children Angela (Keith) Stephanie Peterson of Kokomo, IN, Tonya (Timothy) Lee Rude of Kailua-Kona, HI, and Peter (Oksana) John Peterson of Howard Lake; 11 grandchildren; siblings Dale (Connie) of Anoka, Mavis (Paul) Eiswald of Wadena, Sharon (Larry) Imdieke of Ottertail, Dennis (Karen) of Wyoming, MN, Terry (Sandy) of Verndale, and Steven (Nancy) of Wadena. Burial will be in the Minnesota Veterans Cemetery near Little Falls, MN.

Leo Peterson

May 24, 1940 - September 29, 2013