George Peterson

George Johan Peterson, 90, of Clear Lake, died Thursday, Aug. 6, 2015, at Muse-Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit, in Mason City.

A memorial service was held on Monday, Aug. 10, 2015, at Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, in Clear Lake, with Pastor Dennis Ganz officiating.  A private family inurnment was held in Elim Cemetery, rural Fertile.

In lieu of customary remembrances, family suggests memorial contributions to Elim Cemetery, Kingland Cemetery, or Hospice of North Iowa.

George was born Nov. 19, 1924, the son of George Luther and Ingeborg (Kvamsdal) Peterson.  He married Marilyn Jean Kingland on Nov. 19, 1946, in the Little Brown Church, Nashua, Iowa.

He attended Forest City High School and graduated from Waldorf College.  He was a U.S. Army Veteran serving during World War II from 1943-1946.  He worked 35 years for Gjellefald Construction Company as an Operating Engineer and five years for the Clear Lake Water Department, retiring in 1986.

George was a member of the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Odd Fellows, serving as the Noble Grand, and the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 234 B.  He was an avid stamp and coin collector, collecting not only for himself, but his two daughters and grandchildren.  He also loved collecting and working with model trains.

George is survived by his wife, Marilyn Peterson, of Clear Lake; two daughters, Barbara (Dale) Charlson, of Clear Lake, and Susan (Paul) Strome, of Des Moines; three grandchildren, Todd (Kristen) Charlson, of Clear Lake, Xan (David) McNelly, of Norwalk and Paul Strome III, of Des Moines; one great-granddaughter, Sutton McNelly, of Norwalk; and a sister-in-law, LaVonne Berry of Visalia, Calif.

He was preceded in death by his parents; five sisters, Lillian Akers, Helen Lyng, Ruth Davis, Evelyn Helgeson, and Edith Peterson; and a brother, C. Melvin Peterson.

Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel was in charge of arrangements.