Obituary of Marvin Adrian Peterson

Marvin Adrian Peterson, 96, passed away on Friday, November 27, 2020 at Keystone Bluffs Assisted Living due to Covid 19.

Marvin was born in Solway Township on November 8, 1924 to Alfred Verner Peterson and Ruth Judith Peterson. He grew up on a farm with five siblings including his identical twin brother Marlin. He graduated in 1942 from Proctor High School. Shortly after graduating high school he was drafted into the Army. He served from June 1943 to January 1946 in the Pacific theater with the 147th Field Artillery. While in the service he was wounded and received the Purple Heart.

After his discharge from the Army in January 1946, he met the love of his life, Jean Marjorie Simi and they were married in May, 1947. They were married for 73 wonderful years.

After Marvin and Jean married, they moved to Long Beach, California where he worked at McDonnell Douglas Aircraft. When their first daughter Pam was born, they decided to move back home to Minnesota. After returning home, he worked at various jobs including the steel plant, the railroad, and the cement plant before settling on his final workplace, Superwood. He worked at Superwood as a press operator for 17 years and as a foreman in the hardboard mill for 14 years. He was well respected for his expertise and knowledge of the equipment and operations.

Marvin was very handy and built the family home in Hermantown in 1954. There they raised four children and lived in the home for 65 years.

Marvin enjoyed traveling with Jean and with their neighbors and best friends Steve and Char. He also enjoyed spending time at the cabin on Little Grand Lake with his children and later his grandchildren. When he was younger, he and Jean liked to cross country ski and he liked to bowl and to golf. He was a superfan of the Minnesota Vikings and the Minnesota Twins. He also loved to play cribbage. He was a great storyteller and would often have the family in stitches over his re-telling of a favorite story. His laugh was infectious and he was loved by all who met him. He loved his family above all else and was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather and friend. No one ever worked harder or loved us more. He will be dearly missed.

Marvin is preceded in death by his parents and his siblings Carol, Warren, Marlin and Arlene. He is survived by his wife Jean, his sister Marion, his children Pam Harden, Mark (Kelly) Peterson, Julie (Marvin) Roberts, and Gail (Robert) Klenotich, his grandchildren Jared, Shannon, Whitney, Jennifer, Jessica, Erin, Anne, and Joseph and seven great grandchildren.

We would like to thank the staff of Keystone Bluffs for the kindness, compassion, care, and friendship they gave to Marvin during his time there. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, a celebration of life will be held at a later date.