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Dale (Pete) Stephens Peterson |
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May 31, 1948 ~ November 19, 2014 |
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December 3, 2014 |
 Dale
(Pete) Peterson passed away peacefully on
Wednesday, November 19, 2014 at his Westside
home while watching basketball. Memorial
services will be held Saturday, December 6, at
11:00 a.m. at the Bonners Ferry Funeral Home.
Pete was born on May 31, 1948 during the big
flood which hit Boundary County. His parents
were Royal and Mary Ellen Peterson who resided
on the Westside in District 3. Pete attended
Boundary County schools where he played football
and basketball. He was active in the pep 4-H
Club taught by his dad, then in high school he
belonged to FFA. He was a member of the class of
1966.
He joined the Army where he spent time in France
and England. In June 1967 he was shipped to
Vietnam where he served until December 1968. He
was with the 1st Cavalry Division, 227th
Aviation Battalion which was the attack
helicopter battalion of the AH-64 Apache
helicopters. As a farm boy from Idaho, he was
given the task to requisition goods for his unit
by using creative methods (midnight military
supply)! In Vietnam he was stationed in 3 of the
4 hotspots in the highlands where Agent Orange
was sprayed. Years later he was diagnosed with
leukemia related to Agent Orange. He was the
recipient of the Bronze Star, the Silver Star,
National Defense Service Medal, Republic of
Vietnam Campaign Ribbon and rifle badge/bar.
After an honorable discharge as an E-5, he moved
to the Tri-Cities where he sought employment.
After learning the skill of water drilling in
eastern Washington, Pete was offered a job for
Condrill, a Swedish company, where he ran
several international crews drilling for water
in the deserts of Libya. During this 14 year
period, he traveled to many European countries
where he enjoyed learning and seeing the
cultural and historical sites. Vienna was his
favorite city.
In the later 1980’s he returned to northern
Idaho where he sought employment. He was
employed working for Budweiser, Butch Palmer,
Jack’s Club and the last several years he worked
for Charlie and Tess Kramer. Even after retiring
he would once in a while work for the Kramers.
Pete appreciated the friendship of the Kramers
and their personable crew.
Pete will be remembered for his quick wit,
kindness, work ethic, sense of humor, his great
laugh, and he valued his friendships. He enjoyed
reading National Geographic, Smithsonian, car
and sports magazines, plus he loved Nascar,
basketball, football and baseball. He was an
avid Gonzaga basketball, Seahawks and Mariners
fan.
He is survived by his sister Dixie Lee Miller
(Richard) of Las Vegas, Nevada; sister in law
Uta Peterson of Tucson; and several nieces and
nephews. He was preceded in death by his
parents, Royal and Mary Ellen Peterson, and his
older brother, Loryn.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a
contribution to Boundary County Ambulance, PO
Box 441, Bonners Ferry, ID 83805. |
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