Ronald Wayne Peterson

Ronald Wayne Peterson, 69, Cloquet died Saturday, November 23, 2002 in St. Luke's Hospital, Duluth. He was born in Duluth on May 22, 1932 to Harold and Amanda (Hanson) Peterson. Ron served in the Marine Corps during the Korean War. He married Elaine Cerio Switzer on December 23, 1992 in Las Vegas, NV. Ron served as a firefighter for the Duluth Fire Department for 33 years, retiring in 1985 as Captain of Station #4. In his off duty hours, he worked as a driver for several area trucking companies. After his retirement from the fire department, he owned and operated Castaway Charters, a Lake Superior Charter Fishing boat, and was a driver for the Duluth Transit Authority and Cloquet Transit Company. He was a member of Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Cloquet; Palestine Masonic Lodge #79 in Duluth; Carl Anderson American Legion Post #262 in Cloquet; Proctor Moose Lodge #1302; Teamsters Local #346; a life-member of the National Rifle Association; Scottish Rite Temple in Duluth and served as the pipe major for the Scottish Rite Temple Pipe and Drum Band. Ron was a history buff, especially World War II history, and enjoyed hunting and fishing. He enjoyed spending time at his summer home on Cross Lake and was most peaceful when he was outdoors surrounded by the beauty of nature. Ron had a passion for cooking and having "get-togethers" with family and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; one brother, Herbert "Bud" Peterson and two sisters, Dorothy MacMillan and Marion Beyer. Ron is survived by his wife, Elaine of Cloquet; his children, Wayne A. (Samya) Peterson of Duluth; James (Christine) Peterson of Fallon, NV; Larry (Richelle) Peterson of Cloquet; Vickie (Jim) Olson of Reno, NV, Shawn (Michelle) Switzer of Inver Grove Heights and Todd (Tara Price) Switzer of Cloquet; 8 grandchildren, Jazmine, Larissa, Jacob and Derek Peterson, Haley Olson, Hannah Jo, Rhett and Alexander Switzer; two sisters, Helen Miller of Superior, WI and Marjorie Mallen of Hudson, FL; his sisters- and brothers-in-law, Gerry (Frank) Beck and Margaret Sowden, both of Cloquet, Trish (Dennis) Nichols of Wisconsin, Dianne Bruggman and Tom Cerio, both of Duluth and David (Anita) Cerio of Wichita, KS and his children's mother, Bertha Peterson of Duluth. Memorial service were held on Friday, November 29, 2002 in Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Cloquet. Inurnment was in Ft. Snelling National Cemetery, Minneapolis. Arrangements entrusted to Northland Funeral Home, 801 14th Street, Cloquet.