Leonard "L.R." "Pete" Peterson

Leonard R. "L.R." or "Pete" Peterson, 95, of Mt. Pleasant, IA, died Sunday, May 31, 2009 at his home in Westwood. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, June 2, 2009, beginning after 12 noon, at the Olson - Powell Memorial Chapel, where the family will greet friends from 5 to 7 p.m. that evening. Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m., on Wednesday, June 3, 2009, at the First Presbyterian Church, with The Rev. Roger Rickets officiating. Burial will be in the Lone Tree Cemetery. Memorials have been established to the American Heart Association and Great River Hospice. Born March 16, 1914, in Buffalo, IA, Leonard Ralph was the son of Gilbert L. and Myrtle Lima Hobart Peterson. He graduated from Buffalo High School and then enrolled at Brown's Business College in Davenport, IA. On July 2, 1938, he married Leila Virginia Calvert in Davenport, IA. She preceded him in death in July of 1974. On March 28, 1992, he married Naomi Ruth Orr in Winfield, IA. She survives. "Pete" was a steward and power engineer at the Annie Wittenmyer Home in Davenport and then became the business administrator for that facility. During that time, he served as the president of the National Association of Power Engineers - Davenport Chapter. Mr. Peterson later worked as a business administrator at the Mental Health Institute in Mt. Pleasant and the Woodward State Hospital in Woodward, IA. Prior to his retirement in 1979, Pete was employed at Kennedy's Dairy in Mt. Pleasant. Mr. Peterson was instrumental in helping to establish and incorporate the City of Westwood on January 1, 1982. He was elected mayor and served in that capacity for eight years. Pete was appointed to the Henry County Solid Waste Commission in 1982. He served as the commission's chairman from 1993 to 2008. Pete was also a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Mt. Pleasant. Survivors include his wife, Ruth Peterson of Westwood, IA; one daughter, Virginia (David) Ekstrand of New London, IA; two sons, Marvin (Carole) Peterson of Wood River, IL, and David (Nancy) Peterson of Belleville, IL; three step-daughters, Jeanie (Larry) Allen of Lockridge, IA, Debi (Chris) Oliver of O'Fallon, MO, and Cheri Orr of Mt. Pleasant, IA; and by one sister, Mildred Watson of Bowling Green, KY. Also surviving are ten grandchildren, twelve great-grandchildren, five step grandchildren and three step great-grandchildren. Mr. Peterson was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife, Virginia; a son, Dennis Peterson; and two grandchildren.