Harvey Lavon Peterson

October 21, 1930 – December 1, 2021

Harvey Lavon Peterson, age 91, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, peacefully returned to his heavenly home and his family who were waiting for him on Wednesday, December 1, 2021, at his home in Kearns, Utah.

Harvey was born October 21, 1930, at the family home in Garfield, Idaho, to John Henry Peterson and Florence Mary Jeffs. He was the youngest child in a family of nine brothers and sisters. When Harvey was 3 years old, the Peterson clan moved to Terreton, Idaho, to homestead a farm, and Harvey spent his youth there. Life on the farm was hard, and the family relied on what they could produce to survive. Harvey learned to raise White Giant rabbits for food, and he was very proud of his rabbits. He attended elementary school in Terreton, Idaho, and graduated from Roberts High School in Roberts, Idaho, in 1949. In high school he was known by his nickname, “Bugsy.” His pride and joy was his 1934 Chevrolet Sport Roadster, which he wished his entire life he still had.

While life on the homestead was hard, Harvey still enjoyed life. He and his brothers worked on the farm, and whenever they could find a few spare minutes, they would disappear to go fishing. Harvey loved fishing his entire life, along with hunting deer, pheasants, and ducks with his brothers and friends. Money was tight, so they had to find ways to entertain themselves with what they had.

After graduation, Harvey went to work for his brother, Floyd, at his John Deere Implement Dealership. During that time, Harvey met Annette Green through a date set up by his niece. They were married June 15, 1952, in Terreton, Idaho, and sealed in the Idaho Falls Temple on November 19, 1952. After a honeymoon to the Grand Coulee Dam in Washington, they settled in a little house in Terreton, Idaho, to begin their life and family together.

After their marriage, Harvey started working for General Electric at the Idaho Test Site. When that project was cancelled, and their family outgrowing the three houses they had lived in while in Terreton, they moved to Rigby, Idaho. The family next moved to Jerome, Idaho, and Harvey started work for American Machine and Foundry at the Mountain Home Air Force Base as a coordinator for the Titan Missile sites. In 1962 Harvey and Annette moved their little family to Las Vegas, Nevada, and Harvey went to work on the Nevada Atomic Testing Site. By then they had welcomed four children into their family: Lana Kay, Connie Rae, Gary L, and Jolene. Dad always said the ten years we lived in Las Vegas was the best years of his life. He and mom had many friends with whom they enjoyed many happy times and activities with. We took numerous vacations in his white truck and camper, and after dad bought a boat, we spent a lot of time on Lake Mead fishing, waterskiing, swimming, and boating with friends.

But their moving days were not over yet. Over the course of the next fifteen years, they moved from Las Vegas to Shoshone, Idaho, where dad and mom bought and ran the Snack Bar Drive-In. Dad was still working at the Nevada Test Site because he was scheduled for one last project – the summer of 1971 he was on the Aleutians Island of Amchitka for a nuclear bomb test, so mom managed the Snack Bar until he returned home. Three years later they sold the Snack Bar and moved to Twin Falls, Idaho where he worked as a salesman for Bill Workman Ford and was a contract mail trucker with the U.S. Post Office to haul the mail to Sun Valley, Idaho. In 1986 they moved to Salt Lake City where dad sold cars for a year, and then went to work for Ardell Brown RV selling motorhomes. Dad thinks they have moved about 20 times during their marriage.

Since moving to Salt Lake City, dad and mom have taken numerous trips to motor home manufacturing plants picking up motor homes for Ardell Brown RV and driving them back to Salt Lake City. They have enjoyed life in Salt Lake City – taking vacations and trips, visiting with their growing family, camping with family and friends in the 5th wheel they bought, attending family reunions, and of course, going fishing. Dad had the opportunity to volunteer for the Salt Lake Olympics, which he looked at as an honor and a lot of fun. In his later years, he worked for the Utah Jazz, which he thoroughly enjoyed. He loved to tease the little kids coming to the game and could always get a smile from even the shyest of the kids. When mom’s Alzheimer’s got worse, he gave it all up to stay home and take care of her.

Dad liked to keep busy, and he was always doing something. Dad was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and held many different church callings during his life. He was an excellent carpenter and helped his children with projects around their homes. When they moved into their Kearns home, he did a lot of renovations to the house. He built a little shop in the back yard where he put his woodworking tools and spent many hours working on projects. Dad also liked to tie his own fly-fishing flies. When we took a trip to Hawaii one year, he wanted to catch one of the wild chickens that ran all over Oahu because they had great neck hackles (feathers) he wanted to use for his fly tying. He actually chased one and tried to catch it, but it was too fast for him. When he was hunting and trap shooting regularly, he could be found downstairs loading his own rifle and shotgun shells. He loved reading National Geographic magazines and learning about the world. And we must mention his debonair hat which he wore everywhere. He wouldn’t leave the house without it.

Harvey is survived by his wife of 69 years, Annette, his children, Lana (Gordan) Visser, Connie (Clair) Thorne, Gary (Marie) Peterson, and Jolene Peterson. He and mom have 12 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren, plus many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and eight siblings. But dad’s joy was his family. He often said he had the best family in the world. His grandchildren and great-grandchildren all loved to spend time with Grandpa.

We would like to thank Valeo Hospice for the care they provided dad during his final days; especially Marie Evans who took care of dad’s personal care. She was incredible. She would always tease dad when she would come and always got a smile out of him. Marie, we own you a debt of gratitude for your service to dad and our family during the final days of dad’s life. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

A viewing will be held Friday, December 10, 2021, from 10:30am – 11:45 am at the Kearns 8th Ward chapel, 3750 West 6200 South, Taylorsville, Utah 84118. Following the viewing, funeral services will begin at 12:00 pm.

Interment will be Saturday, December 11, 2021, at 1:00 pm at the Little Butte Cemetery, 3883 E. Menan Lorenzo Hwy, Rigby, Idaho 83442.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.ValleyViewFuneral.com for the Peterson family.