Peterson, John J.

John J. Peterson, 88, of Center Point, Iowa, died Monday, Aug. 3, 2009, in Northbrook Manor Care Center, Cedar Rapids. Services: 11 a.m. Thursday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Walker, by Rev. Dave Ambrosy. Visitation: one half-hour before the service on Thursday at the church. Burial: Sacred Heart Cemetery, Walker. Arrangements by Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Walker.

Survivors include his godchild, Pamela Nosek; and two nieces.

John was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Helen; brother, Bobby; and sister, Bertha Oliphant.

John was born Aug. 31, 1920, to James and Mamie Peterson on a farm near Marion. John married Helen Sheftic on March 1, 1943, at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids. She died Jan. 20, 2009. They moved to the farm near Center Point and thoroughly loved farming the land and raising animals. They cared for her mother for 15 years until her death. He was baptized in 1952 by Father J.J. Olinger and joined the Catholic Church in Walker, where they had been parishioners ever since. They moved into Center Point in 1967, but John continued to do custom corn shelling and combing.

John enjoyed playing cards, bingo, punch embroidery and senior potlucks. John enjoyed many years of traveling the country with his wife, seeing all parts of the country, including all 50 of the states as well as Canada and Mexico.

Please sign the online guest book for John at www.murdochfuneralhome.com under obituaries.