Roger Peterson (1926-1958)
Roger, being a bright child and his birth date being October, was able to start attending the Midway School across the pasture at the age of four. He graduated from Grantsburg High School at seventeen and had close to two years at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, when he was called into the army. He was in the post war occupation army as a lieutenant and went overseas to the European sector and became Aide de Camp to some general in the occupation army of Germany. While serving in Germany he met Sarah Smith of Denver, Colorado who was at the time administrative assistant to the Chief of Chaplains of the Armed Forces in Europe. They were married in Denver, August 11, 1949.
I (Maurice) remember him bringing his new bride to Wisconsin shortly after that. They got as far as Cushing, Wisconsin, stayed with a Jensen family for a day and a half while the snow storm subsided and the plows could get through. They were driving a Studebaker, a 2-door model with the three-torpedo front end and grille.
He served in the army for eight years, and reached the rank of Captain. He remained in the inactive reserves and was promoted to the rank of Major, January 3, 1958. I personally remember him tell he had the opportunity to attend West Point through some Senator from California.
During his four and a half years of civilian life, he was affiliated with the Travelers Insurance Agency of Hartford, Connecticut, working through a branch office in San Francisco. He was Assistant Group Supervisor. I remember they had the Foremost Dairy account and Roger flew into Duluth during a strike at the milk-handler union. He had something to do with the benefit package offered by Travelers.
Roger had gone in for minor physical concerns in December of 1957. When the reports came back he was told he was terminally ill. Delroy, Don, Irvin and I left on New Year’s Day, 1958 and drove to San Francisco. Rudy and Gordon left Washington so they reached San Francisco shortly ahead of us. We were there when he died. Don stayed in California and attended the services there and flew back to Wisconsin with Sarah and the casket.
Some of the old family friends thought I had died when they heard that Otto Peterson’s youngest son had died. Roger had been gone from the community for fourteen years and people forgot about him. I know this for a fact. I answered the phone in the mortuary on the morning of the funeral and an elderly lady’s voice asked if they could view the remains of Maurice at that time. Pastor Dahl was standing beside me at the time. I remember he thought it was very funny.
Roger’s Last Letter to Maurice
12/19/57
Dear Maurice,
Thanks for calling Sara last nite. We both appreciated it. She’s a pretty good gal & although alone is holding up like a trooper. We have also been adopted by a Mr. and Mrs. Wight (from the office and good Episcopalians) who are about 65 and never had any boys, so don’t worry too much.
I’m some better although it will probably take some time to get well. Stanford U is the real center of knowledge about this kind of disease so the main prof from there is coming up to see me during the weekend – it’s only 15 miles down the peninsula.
Tell Othelia that getting booted out of Wood River (after the initial shock) was just the impetus we needed. We’re about to join the Burlingame Baptist (First). They’ve been very good to us and are very active. Require at least a half hour a day in Bible reading & prayer before you can join some groups. It would be nice to be reinstated in Wood River Baptist so I could “come by letter” in a month or so (whenever I’m navigating). It’s not important, but would make me feel better.
Hasn’t my penmanship turned loused up – if you think this printing is bad you ought to see the writing.
Regards to you – your family & all for a happy holiday season.
Roger
Notes from nephews/nieces in Remembrance of Roger
From Nancy: When Roger graduated from high school, the quote under his photo was “the thinkiest thinker that ever thunk”. Roger and Sara met in Germany. Roger sent gifts to us kids one Christmas, maybe 1949, which was the year they were married. I received a music box, Judie a stuffed animal-white puddle and Grandma Hulda a Helvetta watch. Anyone else who was alive then, remember what you received?
Sara stayed with us at the farm once. She was not used to being in the countryside. When she discovered we did not have keys to lock the house, she put a chair against the kitchen door at night. Seems she stayed with LaVone and Irvin after that.
In the 1970’s, while attending a TB conference in Denver, had an evening with Sara and her mom. We had a meal at a buffet and then went to their shared home. They fed many stray cats in their back yard, and had filled plastic bags with food for the cats from the buffet. There was a bouquet of flowers in the room where I stayed, sent from Sara and her mom.
When Sara died in 1996, we had a phone call at the farm, asking for Irvin or Don, as they were listed as trustees of her estate. The called would not take substitute names.
From John: Roger was a student at the University of Wisconsin left in about 1944 to join the military (drafted or volunteered, I do not know). (In 1944 he would have been only 18; he had skipped a couple of grades and graduated from GHS at 16 as Salutatorian, being second to Darrel Peterson, a younger brother of Shirley Frederickson, as I recall.). He must have test high enough to become an officer. In the immediate post-war Period, he was the aide de campe to the commanding general in Bremerhaven.
I admired Roger greatly and always identified him as a role model. I remember being a pall bearer, along with LaVerne Jr.
From Peter: I’ve been thinking about our uncle Roger Conwell Peterson, realizing how little I know about him. I recall seeing him sometime in the mid ‘50’s when he and Sarah visited the Grantsburg area. He was in the US Army and I remember how striking he was in his uniform. Sarah, his wife, was equally impressive. She had a regal “air” about her with beautiful auburn/black hair.
Some time in 1957-1958 we heard that Roger was very sick. If my parents related much detail about his illness, I don’t recall. He and Sarah were in California at the time. The main thing I remember is that my dad, Don, along with Delroy, Irvin and Maurice (I think it was those four), drove to Burlingame, CA to visit with Roger. Roger had acute nephritis and quickly passed on the 6th of January 1958.