Wayne Peterson, 78, of Highmore, died Sunday, December 30, 2007 at Countryside Hospice Room at St. Mary's Hospital in Pierre.
Mass of Christian Burial was held at 11:00a.m., Friday, January 4, 2008 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Highmore. Burial was in Medicine Hill Cemetery, Harrold, SD. Visitations was held from 3:00 - 5:00p.m., Thursday, January 3, 2008 at Luze Funeral Home in Highmore with a prayer service at 7:00p.m. at the church.
Wayne Morris "Breezy" Peterson was born on May 4, 1929 at St. Mary’s Hospital in Pierre. He was the fifth son born to John and Vera (Krimball) Peterson. He spent his entire life on the family farm south of Holabird, SD, in the southwest corner of Hyde County. He attended eight years of grade school under the watchful eye of Miss Eleanor Fuller. He attended one year of high school at Highmore High School and he completed his education at the Short Ag Course at Brookings College in Brookings, SD. After finishing high school, he spent two years working on the farm with his parents before they moved to Harrold and he took over the operations of the farm.
He was united in marriage to Helen Marie Knippling of Gann Valley, SD, on June 5th, 1952. To this union 8 children were born, Kenneth Steven, Tom, Cheryl, Janet, Betty, Jim, Mary Alice, and Charlie Brown.
He was a John Deere dealer for 3 years in Highmore. He had the second John Deere 7520 to come off the assemble line in Waterloo, IA, and he was proud of it. He looked forward to the many hours he would spend with the 7520 pushing snow for the neighborhood, and he always drove into the yards with a smile on his face. He formed a welding company with Jim Kerr and their chutes and panels can be found across America.
He was an avid believer in America and especially farmer’s rights. He spent about five years in Washington, DC, as the spokes person for American Ag. He was elected as a representative to the SD legislature. He ran for the US Senate against George McGovern in 1980.
He was known for (and quite proud of) his enormous hands, pleasant personality, big heart, and hearty laugh. He always had a pot of coffee on and there were cookies whenever friends stopped over. He loved a brisk game of cards and could often be caught playing solitary.
He loved springtime and the new beginnings, the melting snow that would fill the dam and creeks to overflowing, the new calves, the spring flowers and green grass erupting, and the new crops in the fields. He also enjoyed the harvest time. That was a time when the neighbors all got together and went from farm to farm helping each other cut silage. There was lots of food, laughter, and story telling that will live on forever in the hearts of many.
Happy to have shared in his life were his wife Helen, son Tom (Kae) Peterson and children Kimberly and Wayne LT; daughter Cheryl (Fred) Schaefers and children Bella Schaefers and son Nick, Josie (Kevin) Ries and boys Kade, Kolby, and Zack, Maureen Schaefers and daughter Lily, Sam (Kelli) Schaefers and children Olivia and Noah, Paul Schaefers, Paivi (Patrick) Stone, and Jake Schaefers; daughter Janet (Rick) Martinmaas and children Jessie, Scott, and Joni Martinmaas; daughter Betty (Steve) Clark, Luke (Joanna) Peterson and children Kelli, Trevor, and Brady, and Danielle (Eric) High Bear; Jim (Tammy) Peterson and children Lacy, Kally, Bailey, Grady, and Shayney Peterson; and Charlie (Georgeen) Peterson, and son Chris and his child Gabriel. He had four brothers, Lester (Jean), Orville (Verona), Bob (Dorothy), and John (Alberta), many nieces and nephews, and a host of friends and neighbors.
He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Vera Peterson, brothers Lester and Orville Peterson, Sister-in-law Dorothy Peterson, daughter Janet, and two infant children.
Luze Funeral Home of Highmore was entrusted with his arrangements.
MEMORIALS ARE DIRECTED TO COUNTRYSIDE HOSPICE IN PIERRE.