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Gary Petersen

Lead Summary

Gary Harold Petersen, 72, of North Mankato, Minnesota, died from acute myeloid leukemia on Thursday, March 5, 2020, at Rochester Methodist Hospital in Rochester, Minnesota, surrounded by his loving wife and family.
Gary was born July 14, 1947, in Luverne, Minnesota, to Kurt and Dorothy (Kemerling) Petersen. He graduated from Luverne High School in 1965 and Valparaiso University in 1969. After graduation he joined the Peace Corps and served in Kenya from 1969 to 1971.  Upon his return to the States, Gary entered Valparaiso University School of Law, graduating in 1974.
On May 18, 1974, Gary was joined in marriage to Elizabeth Hunsberger.  That summer they moved to Ashland, Oregon, where Gary practiced law with Jackson County Legal Services in Medford, Oregon, and later maintained a private practice there.
In 1978 Gary and Elizabeth welcomed their son Andrew and in 1982 their son Michael. 
In 1983 Gary joined the law firm of Williams and Jackson in Boston and later joined Sentry Insurance as an insurance litigator.
In 1990 the family moved to Luverne, Minnesota, Gary’s home town.  For the three months while he and Elizabeth looked for employment, they lived with Gary’s parents on their family farm. Later that year, Gary was employed with Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services in Worthington, Minnesota, first as a staff lawyer and then as the Director of the Family Farm Law Project, serving 33 counties in southern Minnesota. In 2003 they moved to North Mankato, Minnesota, where Gary continued in that position at the Mankato office.  In 2013 Gary retired from the practice of law.
Upon retirement, Gary and Elizabeth enjoyed two month-long trips to France, Spain, Italy, Austria and Croatia. In Germany they picked up his brand-new Audi A5.  Most recently they enjoyed a trip to Alaska. In addition, they spent several months each year in Sarasota, Florida. Gary loved to play tennis and bridge, garden, go fishing and boating with the family, and bike and play backgammon with Elizabeth.  His greatest joy was to spend time with his three grandchildren. An avid reader of history and environmental issues, Gary also delighted in Carl Hiaasen and John Grisham novels, as well as his 40-year collection of National Geographic magazines. He is remembered as a kind, generous, and gentle man of integrity and quiet reflection.
Gary is survived by his loving wife of 45 years, Elizabeth; his sons Andrew and wife Christina, and Michael and wife Erin, as well as his cherished grandchildren, Hazel, Ivy, and Jasper; his mother, Dorothy Petersen, Luverne; brothers Bruce (Karen), Mark, Kevin (Martha), Lyle, Daniel (Dawn), Brad (Amy) and sisters Kate (John) Thomas and Ellie (Bryce) Oldre.
Gary was preceded in death by his father, Kurt Petersen.
A celebration of life will be held on March 21 at the First Presbyterian Church in Luverne, Minnesota, at 11 a.m. with visitation one hour prior to the service.
Memorials are preferred to the Southern Poverty Law Center Action Fund in Montgomery, Alabama, (donate.splcenter.org), the Nature Conservancy (support.nature.org—memorial donation) or Dollars for Scholars in Luverne for a memorial scholarship in Gary’s name (PO Box 822, Luverne, MN  56156).
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