Gerald “Jerry” Peterson

Obituary

Gerald Alvin Peterson was born on February 27, 1940, in Winnebago, Minnesota. He was the son of Alvin and Gladys (Anderson) Peterson. Gerald was confirmed as an adult in 1963, in St. Peter, Minnesota and was baptized as an adult on January 21, 1984, at Grace Lutheran Church in Breckenridge, Minnesota. He spent his early years in Seattle, Washington, while his father worked in the shipyards. He moved to Brainerd, Minnesota, and attended grade school. Gerald moved to Brookings, South Dakota, and started the seventh grade and graduated from Brookings High School with the Class of 1958.

Gerald joined the United States Air Force on July 18, 1958 and was stationed at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas for basic training. He spent 2 ½ years at Missawa Air Force Base in Missawa, Japan. Gerald was Honorably Discharged on March 26, 1962.

On September 29, 1962, Gerald was united in marriage to Elaine Poehler at Courtland Evangelical Lutheran Church in Courtland, Minnesota. They were blessed with six children, Scott, Steve, Peggy, Stuart, Rhonda and Sean. He started working in the dry-cleaning business at Perfection Cleaners in St. Peter, Minnesota. Gerald also worked for Meyer’s Cleaners in Glencoe, Minnesota. Together with his wife, they owned and operated several family run dry-cleaners in Cokato and Breckenridge, Minnesota, and managed several cleaners in Princeton, Illinois, and Burnsville, Minnesota. After getting out of the dry-cleaning business, he worked at Bongard’s Creamery as a boiler operator since 1990, retiring in January of 2020.

Gerald has had memberships in various Lutheran churches, most recently St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Lester Prairie, Minnesota, since 1991.

Gerald enjoyed fishing, traveling, camping, and was a big sports fan. He cherished the time he spent with his family. Gerald loved music, he and Elaine enjoyed listening to various bands.

Gerald passed away on Sunday, November 29, 2020, at Glencoe Regional Health Services, at the age of 80 years, 9 months, and 2 days. Blessed be his memory.

Gerald is survived by his:
Wife, Elaine Peterson of Glencoe, MN;
Children, Scott Peterson and his wife, Peggy, of Cottonwood, MN,
Steve Peterson and his wife, Janet, of Robbinsdale, MN,
Stuart Peterson and his wife, LaDonna, of Lakefield, MN,
Sean Peterson of San Marcos, CA,
Peggy Morris and her husband, Mike, of Bloomington, IL,
Rhonda Ward of Arlington, MN;
Grandchildren, Justin Peterson and his wife, Brittany, Jon Peterson, Ryan Peterson and his wife, Kassie, Kurt Peterson, Aaron Peterson and his wife, Samantha, Tyler Peterson and his wife, Dana, Cullen Peterson, Simeon Peterson, Noah Ward, Zachery Morris, Kaylie Prehn and her husband, Adam, Lyndsey Slade and her husband, William, Alyssa Fimon and her husband, Zach, Raya Peterson, Krista Peterson, Courtney Morris, Karen Morris;
Great Grandsons, Parker Peterson, Greyson Peterson, Cain Peterson, Kannon Prehn, Jack Fimon, Turner Peterson, Xaiden Slade;
Brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Darlene Poehler of Nicollet, MN; Harold Poehler and his wife, Betty, of Bloomington, MN, Richard Poehler and his wife, Marian, of Good Thunder, MN, James Poehler of Cambridge, MN, Adeline Magras of Howard Lake, MN;
Many Nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Gerald was preceded in death by his Parents, Alvin and Gladys Peterson; Father-in-law and Mother-in-law, Albert and Tunie Poehler; Sisters-in-law, Dorothy Poehler, Trudi Anderson; Brothers-in-law, Arnold Poehler, Albert Poehler Jr., Marvin Poehler, Robert Poehler, George Poehler, Ron Anderson.