Earl Petersen

Earl Leroy Petersen was born on December 23, 1931 the son of August and Mahala (Johannsen) Petersen. He passed away on Saturday, December 12, 2020 at Emmanuel Nursing Home in Detroit Lakes, MN.

Earl was born on a farm in Hanover Township, Crawford County, Iowa near Denison. He was baptized at Zion Lutheran Church on February 2, 1932 and was confirmed there in the Lutheran faith on March 30, 1947. After completing his education in Crawford County, he farmed with his parents until entering the United States Army on November 12, 1952 in Omaha, NE and was a veteran of the Korean War. He received the Army of Occupation Medal (Germany), the National Defense Service Medal and was honorably discharged on October 26, 1954.

On December 26, 1954 Earl was united in marriage to Barbara Schmidt at Zion Lutheran Church, Denison, Iowa. The couple moved to Houston, Texas where his wife finished her teaching year and Earl worked for a construction business. They returned to Denison in June of 1955. In 1956, Earl started farming on his own. They continued to farm in Crawford County until 1972 and were blessed the birth of seven children.

Earl was active at Zion Lutheran Church in Denison as an usher, member of the Lutheran Layman’s League, Men’s Club, Voters Assembly and Wedding Ring Club. He also served as Zion Lutheran School PTA president for a year.

In February 1972, the family moved to Minnesota having purchased a fishing resort which they renamed End of the Road Resort. They owned and operated the resort for 27 years. Earl and Barbara retired to the Vergas, MN area on Ida Lake. He was active at St. John’s Lutheran Church until his health made him slow down. He loved his Lord and Savior and he loved going to church and singing. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, and watching the Twins and Vikings.

Earl loved his children and grandchildren and enjoyed telling them stories of his childhood and his farming days.

Earl was preceded in death by his parents, his beloved wife Barbara, his daughter Rebecca Sue, his three sisters Margaret, Anna, and Marie, his three brothers John, Edmund, and Leonard, five brothers-in-law Don Bilsten, Wibur Harm, Marvine Petersen, Ralph Martine and Carl Segebart, his two sisters-in-law Loueen Petersen and Marion Petersen, and son-in-law Roger Block.

Earl is survived by one son Tim of Detroit Lakes and five daughters: Kathy Block of Jamestown, ND, Carla (Tom) Yenko of Bremerton, WA, Martina Stevens of Iowa Park, TX, Roberta Petersen of Jamestown, ND and Jennifer Krause of Detroit Lakes, MN, seven grandchildren, ten great-grandchildren, two sisters Betty (Dennis) Kitt of Denison, IA and Berneice Segebart, of Vail, IA, one sister-in-law Arlis Petersen of Ute, IA and many nieces, nephews and friends.