Delano Herald Journal

Serving the communities of Delano, Loretto, Montrose, MN, and the surrounding area

Former Dassel man proves it’s never too late to try something new



DASSEL, MN – Ronald Peterson peered out of the airplane, taking in the vast landscape 13,000 feet above the earth. Instead of fear, Peterson’s nerves pulsed with excitement. He and his tandem skydiving instructor leaned forward together, and tipped off the edge.

The Saturday before Peterson’s birthday (Dec. 18, 2017) was a day he won’t soon forget.

“I went skydiving for my 80th birthday,” he said. “. . . This has been an experience of a lifetime, and something I have long wanted to do.”

Although this was his first jump, skydiving has been on Peterson’s mind for decades. He even thought about becoming a military paratrooper graduating from West High School in Minneapolis, but family circumstances pulled him in a different direction.

“My father had died a year-and-a-half earlier,” Peterson explained. “I was the oldest of seven children, and my mother wanted me to stay home and help.”

Peterson did, and later married a “beautiful woman” named Audrey he had met through church. Audrey is originally from Dassel, and graduated from Dassel High School in 1955.

The couple raised seven children, and moved to Arizona in 1976. While there, Peterson spent many years working as a technical illustrator for Goodyear Aerospace. Peterson later became a bus driver, which allowed him to have summers off with Audrey, who was a teacher. He and Audrey moved back to Dassel in 2006, then returned to living in Arizona full time in 2013.

Peterson’s birthday celebration took place in Casa Grande, AZ, with many family members cheering him on as he completed his first-ever skydive. Two of his grandchildren – Megan Falls and Jill Daavettila – took the celebration to another level, making the jump with their grandfather.

Daavettila is currently a student at the University of Wisconsin-Stout, and went skydiving for the first time in Illinois. Falls, who lives in Scottsdale, AZ, was a first-time skydiver, since she had just turned 18 (the minimum age required). She will be graduating high school this spring as class valedictorian, and was recently accepted into the United States Air Force Academy.

Before the jump, Peterson said he was “a little bit apprehensive, like any time you try something new, but I wasn’t scared.” He remembered that President George H.W. Bush had gone skydiving for his 75th, 80th, 85th, and 90th birthdays, and thought, “If President Bush can do it, I can, too.”

The first 60 seconds of Peterson’s descent went fast – literally about 100 miles per hour in freefall. Then, the velocity slowed when Peterson’s instructor pulled open the parachute. Peterson said that’s when he got an opportunity to look around and take in the scenery. He also tried out the reins, steering right and left.

Seven minutes later, Peterson straightened his legs in front of him, and his heels brushed the ground. He commented that landing “wasn’t hard at all.” It helps that Peterson is in good physical condition, and goes to the gym multiple times per week.

Now, Peterson is thinking about the next time he might be able to go on a skydiving adventure.

“I’d like to do it again,” he said. “It was something I enjoyed.”

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