HURON — Gary Einar Peterson died unexpectedly at Sanford Medical Center on Saturday, January 6, 2024, at the age of 81 with family at his side.  

His funeral service will be held 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 13, at Holy Trinity Catholic Parish, with burial to follow at St. Martin Cemetery.

Visitation, with his family present, will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 12, at Holy Trinity Catholic Parish, with a prayer service to begin at 6:30 PM.

Gary was born March 20, 1942 to Einar and Olga (Lundquist) Peterson in Huron. He attended Valley country school and Huron High School. He married Virginia Allene Bauer on Oct. 31, 1964, at St. Martin’s Church in Huron. They made their home together east of Huron where he also continued Peterson Implement, the used farm machinery dealership that this father began.

Gary belonged to 4-H as a youth and enjoyed showing livestock. As a young man he bowled, hunted, and once got a trophy antelope in the Black Hills. He helped coach 4-H softball and helped his children in 4-H horse events and high school rodeo throughout their childhoods.
Rodeo and horses were a major influence throughout his life.  He rode all three rough stock events in high school rodeo and SDRA rodeo, having to stop when he developed diabetes. He was honored in 2009 by receiving the Friends of Rodeo award. He had teams of ponies and gave sleigh rides to his grandchildren in the winters and pulled wagons in parades in the summers.

He was a member of the Elks. For many years Gary and Virginia belonged to the “Birthday Club” with a fun-loving group of friends. Gary also enjoyed playing cards, attending machinery auctions, and watching the athletic and other activities of his children and grandchildren.
Gary had a creative mind, repurposing types of machinery, building roping chutes, rotating arena drags, playhouses, sheds, and planters.

He is survived by his loving wife, Virginia; children, Julie (Wade) Riley of Toccoa, Ga., Mark (Sonya) Peterson of Ames, Iowa, Sheila (Dave) Schroeder of Garretson, and Lisa Danforth of Garretson; grandchildren, Britian John Miller, Lexie (Daniel) Inglett, Ashley Riley and Annie Kate Riley; Rachel (Ethan) Holden, Jesse (Michelle) Peterson, and Grant Peterson; Abby Schroeder and Jake Schroeder; Kaci Danforth and Cooper Danforth; great-grandchildren Charlie Inglett, Logan Inglett, Alice Holden, and Margaret Holden.

Memorials will be given to Holy Trinity School.

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