John Peterson

John M. Peterson, 54, died April 19, 2004, at his Manhatten Beach home. Memorial services will be Friday, April 23, 1 PM, at the Crosslake Evangelical Free Church (the ?Log Church?), with Reverend Fred Creffman officiating. Arrangements entrusted to Brenny Funeral Chapel of Crosslake.
John Massie Peterson was born June 8, 1949, in Duluth, to Robert and Alice (Mitchell) Peterson. John grew up in Duluth, and earned his Eagle Scout award there. He graduated from Duluth Central High School. He earned a degree in Forestry from Itasca Community College in Grand Rapids. He worked as a forester on the Gunflint Trail in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. He served in the US Army from 1969-1975. He met his wife, Pam Rohde, in Duluth, and they were married in Wyoming on July 21, 1981.They made their home in Duluth, where John owned and operated Dynamark Security. John and Pam moved to Manhatten Beach ten years ago. John sold real estate for Causeway on Gull and then for Remax Lakes Area Realty, earning many sales awards. He also owned and operated Survival North, a sporting goods outlet. A private person who enjoyed solitude and the outdoors, John had a wonderful sense of humor. He enjoyed winter camping, and taught winter survival skills and water safety to area youth. He was a gifted communicator and was authoring a book on winter survival skills. John loved his Yamaha motorcycle and was an avid fly fisherman. He will be deeply missed by his family and friends.

John is survived by Pam, his wife of 23 years; his black lab Skeeter; a daughter, Deborah Peterson and her husband, Daniel Johnson, of Duluth; a son, John Peterson, Jr., of Stoughten, WI; his father-in-law, Frank (Cookie) Rohde, of Jenkins; and 3 grandchildren, Aaron, Joshua, and Vienna.