Ronald “Swede” Peterson

Ronald “Swede” Peterson, 87, Oconto Falls, died Friday evening, June 7, 2019 at Atrium Post Acute Care with his loving family present.  The oldest of five children born to Alfred and Esther (Coisman) Peterson, Swede was born March 8, 1932 in the Village of Lena.  As a young boy, he moved with his parents to the Oconto Falls area where he attended St. Anthony elementary school and graduated from Oconto Falls High School with the class of 1950.  In 1951, Swede served in the US National Guard until 1953 when he joined the US Air Force and was stationed in Saudi Arabia for one year.

On August 13, 1953 he married Joan Pipgrass at Keesler Air Force Base in Mississippi.  Upon his honorable discharge from the Air Force in 1957, the couple moved back to Oconto Falls with their young family.  Swede was employed as an Instrumentation Leader at the Scott Paper Co. for 29 years retiring in 1992.  In retirement, he worked for his brother Toby at Peterson Ford in Oconto Falls doing maintenance work, dealer trades and running parts.  Over the years, Swede was a volunteer fireman for 12 years with the Oconto Falls Fire Department, active Oconto Falls Lions Club member where he took a lead role in the sledding & tubing hill, belonged to the Oconto Falls American Legion Post #302, served on the NEW Credit Union Board and was an avid golfer at River Island Golf Club where he was a longtime member and played a competitive game of golf into his late 70’s.  He was a longtime member of Grace Lutheran Church in Oconto Falls.  Swede will be fondly remembered for his willingness to help others and remarkable skills to fix just about anything and being a good friend to many people.

Survivors are his loving and devoted wife of 66 years, Joan Peterson, Oconto Falls; their three daughters, Laurie (Bob) Maloney, Oconto Falls; Amy (Bill) Herms, Green Bay; Jamie Warner, Oconto Falls, six grandchildren, Rebecca (Ryan) Usiak and Greg (Randi) Maloney, Daniel (Kristina) and Peter (fiancé Allison Byrne) Herms, Amber (Eric) Egli and Nicole (Steven Blohowiak) Warner; four great grandchildren, Jack Usiak, Madeline and Trent Maloney, Sophia Egli; two brothers, Donald “Toby” (Shirley) Peterson, Vic (Bonnie) Peterson, all of Oconto Falls; one sister, Jeanette (John) Wusterbarth, Fort Wayne, IN; two sisters-in-law and brother-in-law, Yvonne Gerhartz, FL; Dennis Pipgrass, Green Bay; many special nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, and infant brother Ovie, his in-laws, Clarence and Madeline Pipgrass, two brothers-in-law, Rob Gerhartz and Eugene (Romaine) Pipgrass.

Visitation will be held 3-8 pm Wednesday, June 12, 2019 at Jones Funeral Service in Oconto Falls.  Visitation will continue after 9 am Thursday, June 13, 2019 at Grace Lutheran Church in Oconto Falls until the time of service.  Funeral services will be held 11 am Thursday at the church with Pastor Gary R. Olson officiating.  Cremation will follow with burial and military honors to be held at Volk Family Cemetery.

Swede’s family would like to thank Toby, Vic, Mike and all the Peterson Ford family for all their care and consideration throughout the years.  They also wish to express their sincere appreciate to his good friend Buzz Kamke, the Unity Hospice team, especially Dana, Nicole, Emily and Cheryl, the nurses and staff at Atrium, especially Bonnie and his granddaughter Nicole for all the care and concern shown Swede and his family over the years.