Orville Eugene Peterson

Our beloved husband, father, father-in-law, grandpa, great grandpa, and friend, Orville Eugene Peterson, 83 of Lake of the Woods passed away at his home October 4, 2001. He was born and raised in Waverly Township in Southern Minnesota.

He married Doris Naomi Hodgman in August of 1941, and the same month was call into military service for his country. In the military, he was recognized for his outstanding leadership and was recommended by his commanding officers for Officers Candidates School. He received his commission as lieutenant and landed with the Fourth Infantry Division on Utah Beach in Normandy on D-Day, June 6, 1944. A Field Artillery Officer in the European Theater of Operation in World War II, he experienced combat on D-Day, Normandy, Liberation of Paris, Northern France, Ardennes, Hungen Forest, Battle of the Bulge, Rhineland, West Germany and the Liberation of Dachau. He received metals of the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Invasion Arrowhead, 5 Battle Stars and rose to the rank of Captain by the end of the war.

After World War II, he graduated from Dunwoody Institute as a master electrician. Together with his brother, he founded Fleet Motor Supply of St. Cloud, Minnesota, which became Big Bear Stores of Minnesota, Iowa and Missouri. The company was sold to Tractor Supply Corporation on the New York Stock Exchange where he served as the President of the Board. He retired to enjoy his life-long love of his family and the outdoors on Lake of the Woods.

Survivors include his wife of 60 years, Doris, children, Marsha Peterson Ingersoll of La Jolla, CA, Jean Lusche of Becker, MN, and Gary Eugene Peterson of Cambridge, MN, their spouses, Dr. Henry G. Ingersoll, Mark Lusche, and Patricia Peterson, 7 grandchildren, 4 great grandchildren, his sister, Leone Rumsch of Chula Vista and many loving nieces, nephews, extended family, and close friends.

The family held a private memorial service at his Lake of the Woods home.

Friends joined the family celebrating his life on Sunday, October 14, 2001 at 1:00 p.m. at the Becker Community Center in Becker, Minnesota.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in his memory to the Salvation Army “September 11th Attack on America” Fund at 1-888-673-5663.

The Orville E. Peterson Family