Robert "Barney" Peterson

Robert L. "Barney" Peterson, age 97, formerly of Cloquet, died Sunday, September 25, 2016, in the Hillcrest Golden Living Center in Wayzata, MN. He was born October 4, 1918, just eight days before the historic Cloquet fire. Barney began working for the family business Peterson and Son Plumbing and Heating at age 16, taking over the business and earning his master plumbing and boiler operating licenses. Barney served in the US Navy during World War II in the South Pacific and was one of the first Navy Seabees. He married Eleanor Johnson of Cloquet and celebrated 60 years of marriage before Eleanor's death in 2007. They were members of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Cloquet. Barney enjoyed hunting, fishing and spending time with family at their cabin on Big Sandy Lake. He was preceded in death by his parents, Bjarne and Muriel (Hall) Peterson; his wife, Eleanor; and brothers, Harvey and Roger. Barney is survived by his two children, Dr. Robert (Carole) Peterson and Lenore "Penny" LaMotta, both of Edina; two grandsons, Jeffrey and Michael Peterson; sister, Beatrice (Roy) Hagen of Wabasha, MN; and special friend, Ralph Post of Hopkins. Visitation: 11:30 a.m. until the 12:00 Noon Memorial Service Saturday, October 22, 2016 in St. Paul's Lutheran Church, 1705 Wilson Ave., Cloquet. A time of lunch and fellowship will follow in the church social hall. Inurnment will be in Maple Grove Cemetery, Cloquet. Memorials may be made to St. Paul's Lutheran Church. Arrangements entrusted to Atkins Northland Funeral Home, 801 14th St, Cloquet. To sign the guestbook and leave an online tribute, see www.atkinsnorthlandfuneralhome.com