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Burgess Petersen
BURGESS PETERSEN
Cedar Rapids
Burgess A. Petersen, 86, of Cedar Rapids, died Sunday, April 19, 2015, of cancer at the Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy, Hiawatha. Memorial services: 11 a.m. Wednesday at St. Stephen's Lutheran Church. The Rev. Ritva Williams will officiate. Private family inurnment: Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery. Friends may call at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday.
Survivors include his wife, Joan; a son, Steven (Ann) of Cedar Rapids; a daughter, Sue (Tom) Sohrweide of White Bear Lake, Minn.; and a brother, Ronald of St. Petersburg, Fla. Also surviving are four grandchildren, Jay (Natalie) Petersen of Cedar Rapids, Kelsey Sohrweide of Chicago, Tyson Sohrweide of Charleston, S.C., and Jennifer (Jonathan) Yuska of Cedar Rapids; one great-grandchild, Landon Yuska; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, a brother and one sister.
Burgess was born Jan. 19, 1929, in Mason City, the son of Otto and Jeanette Olson Petersen. He graduated from Cal-Aero Technical Institute and later from Mason City Junior College.
He married Joan R. Klinkenborg on June 24, 1954, in George, Iowa. Burgess was the owner and operator of Petersen Radio and TV in Clear Lake and also was a fire fighter there. They later moved to Cedar Rapids and Burgess was a support manager at Rockwell Collins for over 26 years, retiring in 1990.
He was a member of St. Stephen's Lutheran Church and Indian Creek Nature Center and proudly served in the Army during the Korean War.
Burgess and Joan traveled extensively throughout the United States, Europe and Australia. He was an avid Hawkeye fan and especially enjoyed time spent with his many friends and beloved family.
His memory will be cherished by all who knew and loved him.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given to the Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare in Burgess' name.
Please leave a message or tribute to the Petersen family on the Web page, www.cedarmemorial.com under Obituaries.
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