Larry D. Peterson

He was a proud native of Yankton, South Dakota, where his father and grandfather were proprietors of the International Harvester dealership. The dealership was sold when Larry was around nine years old and his parents decided to move where they had enjoyed many vacations in the California sun. Larry’s father was a history buff and during Larry’s youth, he and his family traveled the entire continental United States visiting all the historical sites during summers each year while the children were on school break. Larry’s experiences in travel as well as his love of reading, his humor, and his honest caring heart made it easy for him to relate to others during his entire lifetime.

Larry graduated from Redwood High School in 1961. He attended the College of Sequoias and graduated from the San Francisco College of Mortuary Science. He worked a span of 40 years in the funeral industry – the majority of those years at Miller Memorial Chapel in Visalia and Goble-Miller Chapel in Tulare. During the late 70’s and early 80’s, he owned and operated The Wedding Tradition in Porterville.

Larry was a sincere people-person and was devoted to several service clubs where he felt he could make a difference. He was President of the Tulare Chamber of Commerce, Exalted Ruler of the Elk’s Lodge, and President of the Rotary Club. He was Chaplain of the Masonic Lodge and a member of The Grange. Larry volunteered with Tulare Farm Show for many years as the People Mover Chairman as well as other areas of the show. He was a member of the Tulare Cabrillo Club and enjoyed the privilege of assisting with preparation of sopas for the celebrations.

After his retirement from Goble-Miller Chapel in 2005, Larry, with his wife, Judy, moved to Morro Bay on the Central Coast. He stayed active – reading his Bible from beginning to end three times over, working in their flower gardens and taking daily 5-mile walks during his first year of retirement before he began working with the Cal Poly Police Department. He made wonderful friends at Cal Poly and sadly went on leave in December 2010 as the cancer rapidly was taking its toll on him.

From childhood, Larry was a member of Lutheran Churches both in South Dakota and in Visalia, California. Since their move to Morro Bay, he and Judy have regularly attended First Christian Church of Morro Bay.

Larry was preceded in death by his son, Kevin Sasin; and his mother and father, Lawrence and Cleo Peterson.

He is survived by his wife of 36 years, Judy Peterson; his children – Donita Liston (Tracy) of Phoenix, Arizona, Erik Sasin (Brook) of Visalia, and Kristin McSwain (Daniel) of Monroe, Ohio; his grandchildren – Aaron Liston, Erik and Elijah Sasin, and Isabella and Adisyn McSwain; his sisters – Sharon Saude (Alvin) of Visalia, Joann Miller of Westminster; three nieces and their husbands and children. Additionally, he is survived by a large extended family and many devoted friends.

Services will be held on Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 12 Noon at Visalia First Assembly of God Church, 3737 S. Akers in Visalia, California. Burial will follow at the Visalia District Cemetery.

At Larry’s request, in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Cancer Society; American Heart Association or the donor’s favorite charity.

Condolences may be offered at www.millerchapel.com

Arrangements entrusted to Miller Memorial Chapel, 1120 W. Goshen Ave., Visalia, CA 93291 (559) 732-8371