Petersen, Russell Wilbur (1917 – 2004)

PETERSEN, LARSEN, CALLAHAN, DETJENS, JOHNSON, ARMOUR, NELSON, GREENE, GARRISON

Posted By: Denise Wurner (email)
Date: 8/5/2013 at 16:03:45

Name of deceased: Russell Wilbur Petersen

Aged: 86 yrs, 3 mo, 29 days

Residence: Elm Crest Retirement Community, Harlan, IA

Born: Oct. 16, 1917, Elk Horn, IA

Died: Feb. 14, 2004, Myrtue Memorial Hospital, Harlan, IA

Funeral services: Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2004, Immanuel Lutheran Church, Harlan, IA; Pastor Heather Ploen officiated. Burial was in the Graceland Cemetery in Avoca, IA.

Survived by: Wife of 25 years, Patricia Petersen of Harlan, IA; step-daughters, Elizabeth (spouse, Dennis) Johnson of Marshalltown, IA, and Mary Armour of Pleasant Valley, IA; grandchildren, Michael Armour of Pleasant Valley, IA, and Kate Johnson and David Johnson of CO; nephews, Marlin (spouse, Margaret) Petersen of Kirkman, IA, and Russ (spouse, Deb) Detjens of Blair, NE; nieces, Donna (spouse, Ralph) Nelson of Omaha, NE, Shirley (spouse, Robert) Greene of MS, and Sandra Garrison of TX; other relatives and friends

Predeceased by: Parents, Chris and Anna (nee Larsen) Petersen; brother, Melvin Petersen; sister, Enid Detjens

Education: attended school in Kimballton, IA. through Grade 8; graduated from high school in 1935.

Religious affiliation: baptized at Elk Horn Lutheran Church, Elk Horn, IA; confirmed at English Lutheran, Avoca, IA.

Military service: Enlisted March 1942: U.S. Army Air Force, stationed in CA, TX, and FL as a Link Trainer Instructor. He went to England with the 381st Bomb Group, 8th Air Force, and participated in raids over Germany as a tail gunner on a B-17 Bomber. He left the Air Force as a sergeant in 1945.

Marriage: Patricia Gibbons Callahan, July 29, 1978, St. Michael’s Catholic Church, Harlan, IA

Employment: After the war, he farmed near Redline, Polk Township, Iowa, where he fed cattle and farrowed sows. In the mid-1950’s he taught Link Training to Air Force pilots in Omaha, NE. Russell retired in 1987.

Hobbies/Interests: Member, Immanuel Lutheran Church, Harlan, IA; member, Farm Bureau, serving two terms as president in Shelby County; member, Cornland Marketing. After his retirement, Russell and Patricia traveled extensively in the U.S. and Canada. They took 4 trips to Europe and enjoyed a month’s tour of China. Russell enjoyed playing cards, walking, and his garden.

Source: burmeisterjohannsen.com