Sargent-Peterson

SARGENT PETERSON

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 10/14/2010 at 22:07:25

History of Woodbury County, Iowa 1984

Sargent-Peterson
By D Sargent

Elbert Wesley Sergeant, born September 14, 1928, was raised at Sgt Bluff and completed school there. Class of 1946. He was active in baseball and basketball during high school, when he wasn’t working on the farm for Uncle Howard Baker or the Belfrages. He joined the U S Navy, March 15, 1948, because jobs were hard to find. He went to San Diego, California, for boot camp. When he came home on boot leave he married Dorothy Peterson on June 28, 1948, South Dakota, his high school sweetheart. They lived in San Diego from 1948 to 1954, when Sarge was transferred to Clarksville, Tennessee. Their two children were born here: Patrick Wesley, May 30, 1955; and Roxann Caro, May 30, 1956. Also, Sarge made Chief Petty Officer there. He was transferred back to San Diego in 1957 and spent the next three years aboard the aircraft carrier USS Hornet.

He was commissioned an Ensign, January 1960 and attended Officers Training School in Newport, Rhode Island, then served as electrical office aboard the USS Ticonderoga. In 1968 another tour of duty at Clarksville Base, Tennessee, then back to San Diego. He was stationed at Nuclear Weapons Training Center Pacific, North Island, California, when he retired October 1, 1970, with the rank of Lt. Commander, after twenty-three years of service.

They were very happy of move back to their home town and put their children into the Iowa school system. Elbert and Dorothy now live in the house built for his great grandmother, Amelia Huntley Baker at 2020 3rd Street. It was also owned by his grandmother, Lida Baker, then willed to his mother, Alice Baker Sargent, from whom he bought it in 1968 for $16,000.00. Elbert has served on the Volunteer Fire Department, City Council, and Planning and Zoning. They also served on the Pioneer Valley Days Committee and Alumni Association.

Patrick and Roxann are fourth generation to graduate, SBHS Patrick took one year of electronic communications at Western Iowa Tech. Community College, and is employed by the US Postal Service in Des Moines. Roxann attended USD at Vermillion, South Dakota. She married Joseph Michael Beacom of Sgt Bluff on August 27, 1977, in Sioux City. They live in Phoenix, Arizona.