PETERSEN, George P. 1870 - 1941

PETERSEN, CONKLIN, DAY, KLINGE, DANIELS, JACOBSEN, TOMPKINS

Posted By: Pat Ludeke (email)
Date: 2/11/2016 at 10:57:21

HOLD RITES FOR G. P. PETERSEN
VETERAN CONTRACTOR BUILT TOM TOM, SURF BALLROOMS AT LAKE

CLEAR LAKE – Funeral services for George P. Petersen, 70, who died at his home, 108 East Division street, Friday morning following a long illness, were held at the Congregational church Monday afternoon. The Rev. J. B. Calhoun, pastor, conducted the rites and burial was in Clear Lake cemetery.

Pallbearers were Knute Juhl, Albert Jass, Merritt Roesdahl, H. E. Freeman, William Hofer and T. E. Sondrol, Sr. Mrs. Jens Wind and Mrs. Hofer arranged the flowers. Earl Conklin, a grandson, sang “The Lord’s Prayer” for the service and Mrs. R. A. Monaghen sang “Crossing the Bar.” Mrs. W. W. Choate accompanied both.

Mr. Petersen was born Nov. 10, 1870, at Fjone, Denmark, and came to America in March, 1874. The family settled first at Sabula and in 1885 moved to Ellington, Hancock county.

June 8, 1895, he was married to Miss Mary E. Paulson and they moved to Clear Lake in 1897. Mr. Petersen became interested in the contracting business, the Clear Lake Boating and Amusement company and a bath house. In 1919 he sold the boat line and in 1931 remodeled the bath house into the Tom Tom ballroom which burned to the ground the same year. The Surf ballroom was built in its place and Mr. Petersen sold this to Carl Fox in 1934, devoting his time from then on exclusively to contracting.

Besides his wife, Mr. Petersen is survived by five sons, Fred, Saginaw, Mich., and Vern, Roy, Arthur and Peter, Clear Lake, and two daughters, Mrs. C. L. Conklin, Springfield, Ill., and Mrs. Dorance Day, Inglewood, Cal. All were present for the funeral.

Also surviving are three brothers, Andrew R., P. O., and Fred W., all of Clear Lake, and four sisters, Mrs. Chris Klinge, Maxwell, Nebr., Mrs. Fred Daniels, Lisbon, N.Dak., Mrs. Axel Jacobsen, Port Angeles, Wash., and Mrs. T. W. Tompkins, Clear Lake, and 14 grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and two grandsons.

Other out of town relatives for the funeral were Mrs. Fred Petersen, Saginaw, Mich., Mr. and Mrs. Matt Madsen, Clinton, and Mrs. Klinge.

Transcriber’s Note – George P. Petersen was born November 10, 1870, died April 25, 1941 and was buried in the Clear Lake Cemetery, Section E Row 4.