Clifford Peterson

STOUGHTON- Clifford C. Peterson, age 95 , passed away on Thursday, July 8, 2010. He was born in Littlefork, MN., on Aug. 10, 1914, the son of Sophie and Tom Peterson. His parents immigrated from Norway and he was very proud of his Norwegian heritage. A 1937 graduate of Concordia College in Moorhead, MN., he was very active in drama, debate and was student body president his senior year. He taught school and was a high school principal for five years. In 1942, he began a thirty-three year professional career with the Boy Scouts of America. His assignments with the Boy Scouts of America included Seattle, WA., Eau Claire, New Brunswick, NJ, and Oak Park, IL. In 1970, he became Scout Executive of the Transatlantic Council of the Boy Scouts of America in Heidelberg, Germany. This council served forty-thousand American Scouts in all of Europe. They were sons of military personnel, American embassies and American businesses. A staff of twelve men were deployed throughout Europe to serve these Scout units. In 1975, Clifford retired from the Boy Scouts of America and then worked for twelve years at Gottlieb Memorial Hospital in Melrose Park, IL. There he was director of development and community relations and marketed health programs to industry and businesses. He was active in many civic and church organizations and was proud to be a fifty-five year plus member of Rotary International. He served as president of Oak Park, IL. Rotary Club from 1969-1970 and in 1999 the Edgerton Wisconsin Rotary Club bestowed the Rotary Paul Harris award to him. He traveled throughout the world. An ardent skier, he skied the Birkebeiner cross country race in Cable four times when he was in his seventies. He also did downhill skiing in Colorado and other western states until he was 83, winning many Nastar races. Golf and gardening were his summer hobbies. He loved people and was a kind friend to many. In June 1942, he married Nelita Dyer, a high school mathematics teacher in Shelly, MN. They retired to Edgerton in 1989 and in November 1999 they moved to Stoughton. Clifford and Nelita were married for 66 years and she preceded him in death in 2008. Clifford is survived by two children, Tom (Chary) of Winter Haven, FL, and Patty (Dave) McGee of Centennial CO.; and three grandsons, Jeffrey of Denver, CO., and Ryan and Scott of Centennial, CO. He was a former member of First Lutheran Church in Stoughton. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. at SKAALEN HOME CHAPEL, 400 N. Morris Street, Stoughton, on Wednesday, July 21, 2010, with the Rev. James Koza presiding. Visitation will be held from 10 a.m. until the time of service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Skaalen Home, Littlefork Lutheran Church, 605 Main Street, Littlefork, MN., 56653, or Boy Scouts of America, National Office, P.O. Box 152079, Irving, Texas, 75015. Memorials: In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Skaalen Home, Littlefork Lutheran Church, 605 Main Street, Littlefork, MN., 56653, or Boy Scouts of America, National Office, P.O. Box 152079, Irving, Texas, 75015. Visitation: Visitation will be held from 10 a.m. until the time of service. Service: A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. at SKAALEN HOME CHAPEL, 400 N. Morris Street, Stoughton, on Wednesday, July 21, 2010, with the Rev. James Koza presiding.