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A. Harold Peterson, age 84, of Chisago City, died March 14, 2004.

He was born April 4, 1919, to Albin and Albertina (Flod) Peterson, both immigrants from Sweden.

He graduated from West High School, in Minneapolis, in 1937, where he was a member of the State Champion Debate Team. From 1937-39 he attended Gustavus Adolphus College.

He served in the U.S. Navy from 1940-1946 during World War II. He attended Officers Candidate School at Northwestern University, the Naval War College, in Newport, R.I., and was the Executive Officer of two U.S. submarines. His last tour of duty was “Operation Crossroads” the atomic bomb test at Bikini. After the war he remained in the Naval Reserve and retired in 1972 with the rank of Captain after 32 years of service.

He graduated from William Mitchell College of Law in 1950 and was a member of the law firm of Hvass, Weisman and King. He subsequently served as General Counsel of the National Rural Electric Association and Telephone Association for 22 years doing advocacy work before Committees of Congress to bring modern telephone service to rural America.

Peterson’s civic activities revolved around a firm belief in the development of rural America. He was chairman of the Chisago Lakes Hospital for 44 years before its merger with the Fairview Health System. He was the first Chairman of the Fairview Lakes Regional Hospital at Wyoming and a member of the Corporate Board of the Fairview System. In 1988 he was named Hospital Trustee of the Year for hospitals in the United States under 250 beds.

Other achievements during his lifetime include: local School Board 1947-56; charter member Lindstrom Lions Club, member Executive Board Minnesota Synod, Lutheran Church in America, Minnesota State Advisory Committee on School Reorganization, charter member of Minnesota-Wisconsin Boundary Area Commission, served in Minnesota State Legislature, President of the Gustavus Adolphus College Alumni Assn., active member of Zion Lutheran Church.

In 2002 he was named one of two Outstanding Senior Citizens of Chisago County.

He is preceded in death by his parents and brother, Kenneth Peterson.

He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Grace (Palmer) Peterson; son, Jon (Claudia) Peterson, of Seattle, Wash.; daughter, Martha (Bill) Bevan, of Vail, Colorado; and son, Kim (Laurie) Peterson of DelMar, California; seven grandchildren: Chris, Matt, Terry, Brian, PJ, Sarah and Claire; and brother, Donald Peterson, of Big Lake, Minn.

Services will be held at Chisago Lake Lutheran Church, in Center City, Friday, March 19, at 11 a.m., followed by interment at Chisago Memorial Park, in Chisago City.

Visitation tonight, Thursday, March 18, from 5-8 p.m., at Grandstrand Funeral Home, in Lindstrom. Memorials preferred to Zion Lutheran Church Building Fund or Fairview Lakes Hospice.

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