E. Howard Dick Petersen

E. Howard (Dick) Petersen, age 90, passed away on Thursday, July 1st at Golden Living Center in Rush City. He was born on March 19, 1920 to Ernest and Edith (Johnson) Petersen in St. Paul, MN. Dick grew up in St. Paul until the age of 8 when his family purchased a farm in Cushing, WI. His family moved to West Rock, MN in 1936; back to the original homestead of his grandparents. Dick married Anna Louise Wiggen on July 22, 1944. To this union, 3 children were born; Margaret, Ernest, and Charles. In 1946 Anna Louise and Dick moved their family to a farm north of Rush City where he resided until the time of his death. In addition to farming his whole life, he was employed as a welder and a carpenter. He was used as a sounding board on farm decisions up until the time of his death and Dick’s wisdom will continue to be used into the future. His pride accomplishment was that of building the house presently used on the family farm. Dick was a member of Jasper Masonic Lodge #164 in Rush City for 56 years. He was Worshipful Master of Jasper Lodge in 1959 and held many other offices. He was actively involved with the annual Masonic pancake breakfast until later years and was currently involved in the Jasper Lodge Masonic scholarship program; which benefited many local students over the past years. Dick was a current member of the Rush City Chapter # 87 of the Royal Arch Masons of Minnesota. As a member of the Osman Shrine, Dick traveled through the Panama Canal with other shriners on a 50th Anniversary celebration and creation of a new lodge and shrine center in Panama City. Dick very much enjoyed traveling and visiting, educating younger generations about the world. He traveled to Russia with fellow farmers, Sweden and Norway with his son Ernest to visit family living there and China with People to People Ambassadors. Dick and his family also hosted Russian farmers as an exchange program following his trip to Russia. His trip to Belgium, England, France and Norway had a profound effect; after he toured Normandy Beach since this was part of his generation’s time. Through his travels, Dick was in 23 of the 24 time zones in the world. He is survived by daughter Margaret Accola of Bruce, WI, son Charles Petersen and wife Trudy of Rush City, daughter-in-law Karen Petersen of Excelsior; 11 grandchildren; Richard (Jeannie) Rasmussen of St. Croix Falls, WI, Rhonda (Ken) Bergstadt of Mora, Valerie Ewald of Weyerhauser, WI, Dennis Eiffler of Bruce, WI, Thomas Accola of Bruce, WI, Christopher (Marissa) Accola of Weyerhauser, WI, Timothy Accola of Eau Claire, WI, Pamela (Dave) Soltau of Minnetonka, Anna (Ryan) Herzog of Watertown, Lance (fiancé Emily) Petersen of Rush City, Kristin Petersen of Rush City, MN; 16 great-grandchildren; brother-in-law Ken Scoville of California and several nieces and nephews. Preceding Dick in death are his parents Ernest and Edith Petersen, wife Anna Louise, son Ernest Petersen and sister Elaine (Petersen) Scoville. Worshipful Brother Dayton Berg officiated at a Masonic Funeral service for Dick Petersen of Rush City; 11:00 a.m. Wednesday (July 7, 2010) at the Olson Funeral Chapel in Rush City with a time of visitation Tuesday evening from 4-8 p.m. Inurnment of Dick's ashes was in the West Rock Cemetery in Rock Creek. Memorials are preferred to the Jasper Masonic Lodge: Educational Scholarship Fund.