Arlington Peterson

Arlington Peterson, 92, of Alexandria, MN, died at home under the care of Hospice on June 10, 2010. Arlington Laurel Peterson was born on October 7, 1917 on his grandparents? farm in Elk Lake Township of Grant County, MN, the son of Martin and Ida (Hjelle) Peterson. He was baptized and confirmed at Zionsborg Lutheran Church of rural Evansville. Arlie attended country school through the 8th grade at District 47. He attended high school in Barrett, graduating in 1935, and continued his education at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, MN. On February 19, 1939, he married Carol Geneva Quist at her mother?s (Lillian Quist) home in Barrett, MN. They lived and farmed on the family farm in Elk Lake Township on Sylvan Lake and later purchased the farm on nearby Peterson Lake where they farmed until 1970. They were members of the Fridhem Lutheran Church in Barrett where Arlington served as a trustee on the church council. To this union, two children were born: Kay Carol on July 25, 1940 and Terry James on February 5, 1944. Arlington enjoyed playing the trumpet and performed ?TAPS? for Memorial Day services in Barrett and for military funerals in the area. He and Phyliss Leraas Erickson played trumpet duets for many programs in the area during the late 1930?s and early 1940?s. Writing poetry was one of his passions along with composing the musical scores for several of his poems. His team of Arabian horses, Deecker and Dreamer, brought him enjoyment during the 1980?s. He drove them in parades for the Old Settlers? Reunions in Barrett and the Harvest Festival in Hoffman. Later, he sold them to Si Naas of Alexandria, MN. In 1971, he and his companion, Joyce Kakac, moved to Tempe, AZ where he worked for the Fry Food Chain for 10 years before retiring in 1982. Returning to Minnesota, they lived on his parents? farm east of Barrett until building a log home on Spring Lake north of Alexandria. Later they remodeled the home on the farm, living there until they moved into a new lake home on Lake Mina west of Alexandria in 2006. His loving survivors include his companion, Joyce, of Alexandria, along with Joyce?s 9 brothers and sisters and their families; his daughter, Kay (James) Weigand of Wendell, MN; his son, Terry (Ann) Peterson of Petaluma, CA; his grandchildren, Debra (Edward) Lake of Oshkosh, WI, Laurie (Timothy) Champ of Maple Grove, MN, Alisha (Graham) Irwin of Fairfax, CA; his step-grandsons, Charles (Juli) Roetter of Santa Rosa, CA and Steven (Margarita) Roetter of Petaluma, CA; his great-grandchildren, Ryan Champ, Joshua Champ, Mariah Champ of Maple Grove, MN, Michelle Lande (Gerald) Torres of Burtonsville, MD, Daniel Lande and a step-great grandson, Curtis Lake, both of Oshkosh, WI, Ashlyn Roetter of Petaluma, CA, Memphis Roetter of Santa Rosa, CA and Finley Irwin of Fairfax, CA; niece, Patricia Ekstrom of Fargo, ND; nephew, Michael Knauf of Grandin, ND; grand-niece, Lisa Ekstrom (Daniel) Wolf and their children, Alexander and Gabriel; grand-nephews, Todd, his family and Douglas Eid along with other relatives and friends. Preceding him in death were his parents, sister, DeLores Knauf; brother-in-law, Alois Knauf; niece Jean Knauf Ducca; grand-niece Deborah Eid and several uncles, aunts and cousins.