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Ralph Dale Peterson, age 73, of Bakersfield, Calif., formerly of Cokato, died Thursday, March 20, 2008, after a struggle with cancer.
Ralph was born Feb. 14, 1935, to Arthur and Hazel Peterson in Cokato.
A member of the Cokato High School class of 1953, Ralph went on to marry Irma Anderson in 1956. In 1960, they moved to Bakersfield, Calif. to work for Irma’s sister and brother-in-law, Goldie and Darwin Omdahl, at Omdahl Harvesting.
Ralph and Irma eventually opened Ralph Peterson Trucking Co. After selling the business, Ralph went on to work at Tenneco, which later became Dole, where he finished out his career.
Ralph was a hard worker to a fault, but every year, he and Irma would pack their four kids into the family car and drive back to Minnesota to visit friends and extended family. In their leisure time, the couple loved to be with family, bowl, and camp with the Good Sam Club.
They also spent time with a group of fellow farmers who called themselves the “Checkers” because they always “checked” on something, whether it be an orange grove or the price of beer for a fishing trip.
Ralph was preceded in death by his wife of 46 years, Irma Peterson, who passed away from cancer in 2002; his parents; brothers Reynold and Donnie; and sister Delores Malmquist.
He is survived by his wife, Judy Olson-Peterson, who he married May 9, 2007; his children, Becky (Tim) Sheldon, Dawn (Bruce) Holland, Holly Peterson, and Dale (Roni) Peterson; grandchildren Rachel (Jake) Legan-Hogue, Dustin Legan, Brent Rice, Jeff Holland, and Cole Courtright; great-granddaughter Kylee Hogue; and his brother, Harold (Judy) Peterson.
Memorial services took place Wednesday, March 26 at 11 a.m. at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Bakersfield, Calif., with the Rev. Jon Christenson presiding.
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