Ray L. Peterson

DOWS - Ray L. Peterson, 85, of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, formerly of Dows, died Thursday, September 4, 2014 in Ft. Lauderdale.

Funeral services will be held 2 P.M., Sunday, September 14th at the Cataldo Funeral Chapel, 160 E. 4th St., in Garner with Rev. Scott Kozisek officiating. Burial will be 10 A.M., Monday at Fairview Cemetery in Dows.

Visitation will be held from 4 to 6 P.M., Saturday at the Cataldo Funeral Chapel, 160 E. 4th St., in Garner and will continue one hour prior to services.

Ray Lincoln Peterson, the son of Charles Wesley and Ida Moncina (Ingebritson) Peterson, was born June 14, 1929 at Dows. He was baptized at the Presbyterian Church in Dows. After graduating in 1947 from Dows High School he worked as a telegrapher for the Chicago Great Western Railroad for three years. Ray served his country in the U.S. Army in Germany, as a communications specialist (code interceptor), from September of 1951 until he was honorably discharged in September of 1953. His education included Waldorf College in Forest City, Mason City Junior College, the University of Iowa, Upper Iowa in Fayette and Drake University. On March 24, 1972, he married Aleida Mischler in Chicago. They made their home in Kenosha, WI and are the parents of three children: Kristen, Rachel and Ray, Jr. Ray worked in Chicago where he had a seat on the Chicago Board of Trade until his retirement. He moved to Fort Lauderdale, FL to be near his family. Ray enjoyed and deeply loved his family, studying the commodity market, golfing and traveling. Of all the trips he took during his lifetime, the favorite by far was a trip to his heritage countries, Denmark and Norway.

Ray is survived by three children, Kristen (Jason) Goodman of Cary, NC, Rachel (D.J.) Walsh of Germany and Ray (Carrie) Peterson of Fort Lauderdale, FL; eight grandchildren, Kylie Goodman, Grant Goodman, Payton Goodman, Andrew Walsh, Luke Walsh, Matthew Walsh, Taylor Peterson and Lincoln Peterson; his former wife, Aleida Humpf of Ft. Lauderdale; a brother, Dr. Clifton E. (Gladys) Peterson of Kenosha, WI; a sister-in-law, Camila Peterson of Phoenix, AZ and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his parents; three sisters, Berneace (Sam) Cataldo, Margaret (Louis) Toft and Marcella (Dr. Robert) Rang; and a brother, Calvin Peterson.