STODDARD, Wis. -- Robert G. Peterson, 65, of
Stoddard, died Thursday, March 14, 2002, at Gundersen Medical Center. He
was born Nov. 21, 1936, in Waterford, Wis., to Edmund and Clara (Lucht)
Peterson. Robert married Kathleen Kelly on June 14, 1969, in
Clintonville, Wis., at St. Rose Catholic Church. Robert graduated from
Waterford High School after which he attended UW-Whitewater, receiving a
Bachelor of Education degree in Business Education and a minor in
History. He received a Master of Science degree in Education
Administration from UW-Madison. In addition Robert completed many other
graduate courses.
He started his career as a teacher in Oshkosh,
Wis., after which he taught at Misawa Air Force Dependents School,
Misawa, Japan; Ben Gurir Air Force Dependents School, Ben Gurir Morocco;
Dreux Air Force Dependents School, Dreux, France; and Hahn Air Force
Dependents School, Hahn, Germany. He then taught at Marion High School,
Marion, Wis., before becoming high school principal, and later assistant
superintendent. He then became District Administrator for the De Soto
Area School District. Robert was most recently the Administrator of CESA,
a Sate Education Services Agency.
He was currently the state coordinator for the
Wisconsin Lions Foundation, the Lions Multiple district 27 Drug
Awareness Chairman from 1988 to the present. Robert was also a past
president of the Wisconsin Lions Foundation, 1984 to 1985, a past member
of the Marion Library Board and a member of the Waupaca County Board of
Supervisors, a member of the American Association of School
Administrators and a Director of the Gateway Area Council Boy Scouts.
Robert received many professional service
awards, Superior Performance Award for teaching issued by the United
States Air Force in 1964, one of four issued by German Command; selected
by the United States State Dept. to attend a foreign policy conference
for educators, 1989; presented the Wisconsin Outstanding Secondary
School Principal Award for 1976, by the Wisconsin Association for the
Gifted and Talented, October 1976; received from the Wisconsin Lions
Foundation, A Testimonial of Sincere Gratitude, 1986, also from the
Lions; the Melvin Jones Fellow Award and virtually every Lion Award
avail able; Department of the Air Force, a Superior Performance Award,
1964; State of Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, a Certificate
of Appreciation, June 1989; Ollie Berge Administrator Leadership
Academy, Superintendent's Program, and the Wisconsin Department of
Public Instruction, a Certificate of Achievement, July 1989.
In addition to his wife, Kathleen Robert is
survived by three sons, Tim of Tempe, Ariz., Patrick (Stephanie) of
Holmen, Wis., and Michael (Jodie) of Dallas, Texas; one daughter, Kerry
Peterson of San Diego, Calif.; two sisters, Beverly (Jack) Sismore of
Palm Desert, Calif., and Carol (Bernard) Dolezal of Eagle River, Wis.;
sister-in-law, Alice Peterson of Waterford, Wis.; mother-in-law, Charity
Kelly; in-laws, Peggy (Curry) Koehler, John (Janice) Kelly, Mike (Linda)
Kelly, Pat (Marie) Kelly, Maureene (Tom) Terich, Tim Kelly and Dan
Kelly; many nieces and nephews; and family friend, Robert Neville Neil.
Robert was preceded in death by his parents;
one granddaughter, Savannah Charity Peterson; one brother, Donald
Peterson and father-in-law, Jack Kelly.
A memorial mass will be held on Monday, March
18, 2002, at 11 a.m. at St. Charles Catholic Church, Genoa, Wis. A time
of fellowship will be held on Sunday from 2 to 6 p.m. at Sletten McKee
Hanson Funeral Home, 605 West Ave. So., La Crosse, and again at the
church on Monday from 10 a.m. until the time of service. The Rev. Thomas
O' Neill will officiate. Burial follows in the church cemetery. In lieu
of flowers memorials should be given to either the Stoddard
Lions/Lioness or the Daniel J. Kelly Memorial Scholarship Foundation.
