Dwane "Pete" Peterson

Memorial services for Dwane “Pete” Peterson will be held at 11:00 AM on Monday, December 17, 2018 at Grace Lutheran Church, Albert Lea, Minnesota.  Pastor Shane Koepke will officiate.  Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service.  Burial will follow at the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery in Preston, MN.  Local honors will be performed by the Albert Lea Veteran’s Organizations.

On Tuesday, December 11, 2018, Dwane “Pete” Ellsworth Peterson passed away at Mayo Clinic Health System Albert Lea hospital at 5:15 AM, just two days before his 82nd birthday.  Dwane was born on December 13, 1936 in Albert Lea, MN to Oscar and Mabel (Berg) Peterson.   Dwane graduated from Albert Lea High School in 1956.  He went on to join the U.S. Army on Jan 2, 1957.  After serving for 20 years he retired from the U.S. Army on May 31, 1977.  He then worked as a Freeborn County Deputy Sheriff for two years until he accepted a job with the U.S. Government.  He retired from the National Security Agency (NSA) on Dec. 31, 1996.  During his two careers with the government, he found time to marry the love of his life, Mary Jane Illsley of Jeffers, MN.  The two were married on June 24, 1962.  The couple went on to have 4 children, Susan, Christina, Matthew, and Michael.  During his distinguished time with the U.S. Army and NSA, Dwane and his family had lived overseas for almost 40 years.  In that time, Dwane also was a war veteran having served in the Vietnam War from July 1970 to July 1971.  After his retirement from the NSA, Dwane and Mary lived in Florida for 7 years, then moved to Albert Lea, MN to be closer to family and friends.

Dwane was preceded in death by his mother, Mabel (Berg) Peterson-Kalvig, and father Oscar Peterson; sisters, Orliss Diaz and Karen Quam; brother-in-law, Frank Diaz; and nephews, Kevin Diaz and David Diaz.

Dwane is survived by his wife of 54 years, Mary; his four children. Sue Yost and her husband, Steve of Emmons, IA, Tina Sedlmeyr and her husband, Stefan of Munich, Germany, Matt of Rochester, MN and Mike of Huntington, WV; three grandchildren,  Bryan Yost and his wife, Madison of Elk Point, SD, Sam  (Yost) Noble and her husband, Spence of Dodge Center, MN; and Amber Peterson of Huntington, WV.  Dwane had the joy of welcoming a great-grandson, Rhys Peter Noble, into the world in June 2018.   Also, two nephews and a niece, Richard Diaz of Albert Lea, MN, Jeffery Diaz of Galveston, IN and Kathy Diaz of Albert Lea, MN.

The family requests that in leu of flowers, please make a donation to Heifer International in memory of Dwane Ellsworth Peterson.