Petersen, Eldon C. "Sammy" 1915-1988

PETERSEN, HINK, DEEDRICK, LIDTKA, GROVES, WHITELEY, OEHLER, MAIDEN, MILLER

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 12/7/2010 at 08:32:21

The Grinnell (IA) Herald-Register; May 2, 1988

ELDON PETERSEN RITES TUESDAY

Eldon C. "Sammy" Petersen, 72, of 1834 Belmont Ave., Grinnell, a former member of the Poweshiek County Board of Supervisors, died of cancer Saturday, April 30, at Grinnell General Hospital.

Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Tuesday, May 3, at the Smith Funeral Home, with the Rev. William Schlobohm of the Malcom-Sheridan Parish officiating. Burial will be in Sheridan Cemetery northeast of Grinnell.

The son of Lorenz and Ella Hink Petersen, he was born July 9, 1915, in Tama County. His parents, one brother and one sister all died of influenza when he was 4 years old, and he was raised by his aunt and uncle, Frances and Charles Deedrick, in Chester Township north of Grinnell where he attended rural school.

He was married to Aline Lidtka at Unionville, Mo., Jan. 14, 1939. Mr. and Mrs. Petersen farmed in Chester and Sheridan townships following their marriage. They retired and moved to Grinnell in 1977.

Mr. Petersen was a member and trustee of the Sheridan United Methodist Church and was active in the Sonora and Sheridan Granges. He was a former director of Sheridan No. 3 School District and had served on the Grinnell Rural School Board and the Grinnell-Newburg Board of Education.

Mr. Petersen was president of the Grinnell-Newburg Board of Education for five years and was a member of the Board of Supervisors for four years. He also served as president of the Los Amingos Park Association and the Iowa Winter Texans Association, both in Brownsville, Texas.

He is survived by his wife; three daughters, Karen Groves of Grinnell, Sally Whiteley of Martinsville, Ind., and Nancy Oehler of Reeds Spring, Mo.; eight grandchildren; one great-grandchild; a sister, Lillian Maiden of Toledo; and one brother, Arthur of Gilman. He was preceded in death by his parents; two sisters, Viola Petersen and Marie Miller; and two brothers, Loren and Leroy.