Obituary of Walter Petersen

Walter Herman Petersen was born on April 5, 1935, in Paullina, Iowa, to Hermann Christian Petersen and Anna Maria Brunken Petersen. He was baptized on November 29, 1936, at St. Mark’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bloomfield, Nebraska, and confirmed on April 2, 1950, at Trinity Evangelical and Reformed Church in Hartley, Iowa. In 1948, the Petersen family moved to a farm east of Hartley. Wally first attended rural school and then graduated from Hartley High School in 1953. In 1957, Wally was drafted into the Army where he was trained in auto mechanics at Fort Dix in New Jersey. After finishing his duty at Fort Riley, Kansas, he was honorably discharged in 1959 and returned to Hartley to farm. Wally married Marla Jean Byers on February 17, 1963, and later was confirmed and joined St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Hartley. Wally and Marla farmed for nine years in the Hartley and Primghar areas. They moved into town in Hartley in 1970 when Wally purchased an oil truck business which would go on to become “Wally’s Supply.” He operated his business until 1998. Hartley residents will also remember Wally for all the tree work he did in the 1970s and driving a school bus. A daughter, Lisa Jo Ann, was born in 1963, followed by a son, Wade Christian, in 1964. Wally was very involved in the Hartley community where he was on the Board of Directors of the Chamber of Commerce, Board of Directors of the Hospital Board, an elder and trustee at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, President of the Hartley-Melvin Schools Booster Club, and a member of the Hartley Fire Department for 12 years. Wally also was a Webelo Scout leader, President of the Hartley Trail Blazers Snowmobile Club, and Director of the O’Brien County Snow Trackers Snowmobile Club. Aside from his pride and love for his family, Wally loved giving rides in his pony cart, woodworking, riding snowmobiles, and spending time at the lakes. He loved working in the garden, taking care of his cat, listening to polka music, and “putzing” around his shed – tinkering, fixing, and building. Wally is survived by his wife Marla; a daughter: Lisa Petersen and her husband, Mike Heffernen, of Spirit Lake, IA, a son: Wade Petersen and his husband Ken Hanson of Ankeny, IA; two sisters: Marilyn Fiddelke and her husband, Robert, of Sutherland, IA, and Velma Tesch and her husband, Harlan, of Milford, IA. He was preceded in death by his parents. Celebrating the Life of Walter “Wally” Petersen Born ~ April 5, 1935 Died ~ April 26, 2011 Age ~ 76 years 21 days Memorial Service 3:00 p.m. Friday, April 29, 2011 St. Paul’s Lutheran Church Hartley, Iowa Officiating ~ Rev. David Ericksen Organist ~ Donna Ahlers Congregational Singing Processional ~ “Lift High the Cross” #837 “How Great Thou Art” #801 “I’m But a Stranger Here” #748 Recessional ~ “Abide With Me” #878 Honorary Pallbearers Mort Rosenboom Dale Nagel Jim Ebel Denny Unrau Mike Peters Jerry Schumann Earl Muilenburg Gale Bobolz Arnie Pahl Inurnment Pleasant View Cemetery Hartley, Iowa (2:00 p.m. on Friday)