Herbert John Peterson

Herbert John Peterson
1918-1999

Herbert John Peterson, 80, died Wednesday, Sept. 9, 1999, from complications from a stroke.

Mr. Peterson was born Dec. 2, 1918, in Elsmore, the only child of Axel and Margaret Peterson. His early life was spent on the family farm in Elsmore.

His father became postmaster and the family moved to LaHarpe. Peterson attended the University of Kansas and graduated from law school, at the top of his class in 1945. He worked in private practice for a short time before taking a position with the Internal Revenue Service in Kansas City, Kan. It was there he met his life-long companion, Bonnie Mae Hummelgaard of Tonganoxie.

They were married Nov. 22, 1950. Their first child, John Michael, was born in 1952. A daughter, Patricia Mae, was born in 1954, the same year Peterson’s job with the IRS transferred him to Omaha, Neb. A second daughter, Pamela Kay, was born in 1958.

The Peterson family remained in Omaha until education and career opportunities relocated their children. Mr. and Mrs. Peterson lived in Omaha until September 1994 when they moved to Idaho to be closer to their daughters’ families.

Mr. Peterson is survived by his wife, Bonnie; son, John and his wife, Kathy Peterson of Liberty, Mo.; daughter Patricia and her husband, William Braddock of Boise; daughter Pamela and her husband, Michael Nelson of Boise; grandson, Eric Plegge of Manhattan, Kan.; grandsons Jeff Plegge of Marysville, Kan., and Levi Hosey of Boise.