Obituary of DelRay Peterson

DelRay Homer Peterson was born on April 11, 1919 in Braham, Minnesota to Albert and Mabel Peterson. He died on October 21, 2011 in Cambridge, Minnesota at the age of 92 years. After graduating from Braham High School in 1936, he attended Bethel College. Upon completion of their two-year program, he attended Hamline University and graduated in 1942 with a teaching degree in science and athletics. After College, he joined the Naval Air Corp and trained in Iowa City, Iowa and Corpus Christi, Texas. Upon completion of flight school in Texas, he was chosen to join the Marine Corp and transferred to San Diego, CA in August of 1943. From there he traveled to Guam and the Marshall Islands where he served as a Marine Corp pilot overseas until December 1945. On August 7, 1943, DelRay married Louise Joonson in Denver, Co. Their marriage was blessed with four children: DelRay Morris, Lynne Cheryl, Judith Kay, and Lori Ann. Upon discharge from the Marine Corp, Del worked for the Minneapolis Gas Company for 4 years, was Athletic Director and Basketball coach at Bethel College for 8 years and taught Junior High science at John Glenn Jr. High in North St. Paul for 23 years. Del was very active in every church he attended and loved to sing in the choir. He was a very quiet and reserved man, but his love for the Lord and his family was very evident in his life and in everything he did. Del is survived by his wife of 68 years, Louise, and 4 children: son Delray M and (Sandra) Peterson from Minnetonka, MN; daughter Lynne O'Keeffe from Phoenix, AZ; daughter Judy and (Curt) Groen from Renville, MN; and daughter Lori and (Stephen) Dando from Micronesia; 11 grandchildren: Christopher and (Alissa) Peterson, Beth Peterson, Allison Wolff, Sean and (Angie) O"Keeffe, Josh and (Elissa) O'Keeffe, Christian O'Keeffe, Jennifer and (David) Maldonado, Sara and (Mike Oosterhouse), Amy and (Jason) Kats, Elliot Dando, Eion Dando, and 6 great grandchildren. Also surviving is one brother, Wayne and (Elaine) Peterson of Cambridge, MN as well as many nieces and nephews.