June 10, 2021 at 1:12 p.m.
Stanley A. Peterson
b. April 15, 1918 - d. Dec. 27, 2010
He was born April 15, 1918 in Des Moines, IA, to Marie and Christen Peterson, both emigrants from Norway. In 1920, Stanley, his sister Lu and his parents came by train to Walker. From the train siding at the Leech Lake store, located 6 miles north of Walker, they walked to the homestead land on Steamboat Bay. Stanley's young years were on the farm where in the winters the barn was converted to a cedar strip boat building factory. He and his mother and father built hundreds of boats which were sold to all the resorts in the area.
Steamboat Bay was noted for being in the duck flyway. Hunters came and asked to sleep in the barn loft at night. It was a natural move to start Hiawatha Beach Resort on the sandy shores of Steamboat Bay. Stanley was the resort guide, rowing the boats in his young years. He and his father then built a launch. Since outboard motors were expensive and very unreliable, he would pull a string of fishing boats behind the launch.
Stanley attended the one room school house in Leech Lake Township and graduated from Cass Lake High School. He was attending McAlister College in Minneapolis when Pearl Harbor was bombed and the United States declared war on Japan. He enlisted that day in the Army Air Corp and after earning his wings as a pilot and navigator, he was assigned to B-29 bombers. While waiting for the B-29s to be built by Boeing, he instructed navigation at Davis Monthan Air Field in Tucson, AZ where he met his future wife, Gerry, who was attending the University of Arizona. He was then sent to Guam. He was the navigator for the first big flight of bombers over Japan after Doolittle. His was always the lead plane as he was the navigator for General Curtis LeMay. Stanley spent 5 years in the Air Force and was awarded 4 Distinguished Flying Crosses, 14 Air Medals, and other awards. He flew 35 bombing missions over Japan. He was honorably discharged with the rank of captain. Stanley was very proud of his service to his country.
In 1948, Stanley Married Geraldine (Gerry) Eliot of Phoenix, AZ. They had four beautiful daughters and the family lived at Hiawatha Beach until the resort was sold in 1956.
In 1949, Gerry and Stan, his mother Marie and his sister Joyce and her husband Edwin Wolf bought the Chase Hotel. The Chase was in the family for about five years. They sold the hotel to Mrs. Kay Weller (Jones). The Isabel was separated from the Chase property and Stanley remodeled it into the beautiful Northwood Beach Motel. Marie ran Northwood Beach for 20 years and then Stan and Gerry ran the motel for another 10 years.
Stanley started Stan Peterson Lake Homes of Walker, Minnesota. He developed and built hundreds of lakeshore homes and later made his beautiful land at Little Harwood into Camper Landing, a camping and RV resort on Leech Lake.
He, also, bought land on both sides of Shingobee Bay. He named and developed the Plat of Christmas Point on the East side and built many Shingobee homes on the west side. He bought and developed Pumphouse Bay, the land extending from Ah-gwah-ching around to the Shingobee Bridge. This included the Plat of Seven Pines. Out of the original homestead land on Steamboat Bay, he platted Steamboat Bend subdivisions I and II.
Two people who were important to Stanley were Marshall Sautbine and Pete Cloud. Marshall built the roads on most of Stanley's plats. His bulldozer opened the land that is used by hundreds of people today. Pete Cloud worked with Stanley from the days of Hiawatha Beach and for over 30 years through all the projects and adventures.
Stanley was one of the original members of the Walker American Legion Club. He served on the Walker School Board, was a member of the Chamber of Commerce, Hope Lutheran Church, and was a Walker Rotarian for 40 years.
He loved his family, enjoyed fishing Leech Lake and he liked to garden; tomatoes were his specialty.
He is survived by his loving wife of 62 years, Gerry Peterson, four daughters, Gerry "Jill" Peterson of Bowlus, MN., Amy (Jim) Townsdin of Walker, MN., Christine (Mike) Sinclair of Mesa, AZ., and Grace (Joe) Aycock of Mesa, AZ., sister Joyce Klabunde of Easton, PA., eleven grandchildren who are: Shawn (Kris) Knutson, of Alexandria, MN., Laura (Alan) Hansen, Apple Valley, MN., Josie (Travis) Trudgeon of Butte, MT., Jessie Townsdin of Sandpoint, ID, Amy (Jacob) Dillard, Mesa, AZ, Stanley (Kari) Townsdin of Walker, MN., Eliot Sinclair, St. Louis MO, Angela Cilberto, Minneapolis, MN., Kyle (Stephanie) Sinclair, Tucson, AZ., Matthew Sinclair, Boston, MA, and Kimberly (Joseph) Berrones, Mesa, AZ and eight great grandchildren.
Memorials may be given to Hope Lutheran Church of Walker, and St. Joseph's Area Health Services of Park Rapids, MN 56470. Many thanks to Hospice for the care and comfort they provided. Memorial Services will be held Saturday, January 8, 2011 at 11:00 A.M. at Hope Lutheran Church with Sally Wilke officiating. Inurnment will be in Evergreen Cemetery with military honors provided by the Spencer-Ross American Legion Post #134 of Walker. The Dennis Funeral Home of Walker assisted the family in making service arrangements. Share on-line condolences at www.dennisfuneralhome.com[[In-content Ad]]
Comments:
You must login to comment.