Dale (Pete) Peterson

Dale (Pete) Peterson passed away peacefully on Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2014, at his Westside home while watching basketball.

Memorial services will be held Saturday, Dec. 6, 2014, at 11 a.m. at the Bonners Ferry Funeral Home.

Pete was born on May 31, 1948, during the big flood which hit Boundary County. His parents were Royal and Mary Ellen Peterson who resided on the Westside in District 3.

Pete attended Boundary County schools where he played football and basketball; he was active in the pep 4-H Club taught by his dad then in High school he belonged to FFA. He was a member of the class of 1966.

He joined the Army where he spent time in France and England. Then in June 1967 he was shipped to Vietnam where he served until December 1968. He was with the 1st Cavalry Division, 227th Aviation Battalion which was the attack helicopter battalion of the AH-64 Apache helicopters.

As a farm boy from Idaho, he was given the task to requisition goods for his unit by using creative methods (midnight military supply). In Vietnam he was stationed in three of the four hotspots in the highlands where Agent Orange was sprayed. Years later he was diagnosed with leukemia related to Agent Orange.

He was the recipient of the Bronze Star, the Silver Star, National Defense Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Ribbon and rifle badge/bar. After an honorable discharge as an E-5, he moved to the Tri-Cities where he sought employment. After learning the skill of water drilling in eastern Washington, Pete was offered a job for Condrill, a Swedish company, in which he ran several international crews drilling for water in the deserts of Libya.

During this 14-year period, he traveled to many European countries where he enjoyed learning and seeing the cultural and historical sites. Vienna was his favorite city. In the late 1980s he returned to northern Idaho where he sought employment. He working for Budweiser, Butch Palmer, Jack’s Club and the last several years he worked for Charlie and Tess Kramer.

Even after retiring he would once in a while work for Kramer’s. Pete appreciated the friendship of the Kramer’s and their personable crew.

Pete will be remembered for his quick wit, kindness, work ethic, sense of humor, his great laugh and he valued his friendships. He enjoyed reading National Geographic, Smithsonian, car and sports magazines, plus he loved Nascar, basketball, football and baseball. He was an avid fan of Gonzaga basketball, the Seahawks, Mariners.

He is survived by his sister Dixie Lee Miller (Richard) of Las Vegas, Nev.; sister-in-law Uta Peterson of Tucson; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Royal and Mary Ellen Peterson, and his older brother, Loryn.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a contribution to Boundary County Ambulance, PO Box 441, Bonners Ferry, ID 83805.