Obituary for Ralph Edwin Peterson
Did you hear the one about …
When Ralph Peterson uttered these words, you knew what was coming - either a joke that would make you laugh until your sides hurt or one that would make you groan and roll your eyes.
Ralph, beloved husband, father and grandfather, received his place among the angels about 9:30 p.m. Jan. 26, 2021. He died at his home surrounded by family. It was one of the coldest and snowiest nights of the year – leave it to Ralph to make quite the exit.
Ralph was born Aug. 18, 1940, in Atchison, Kansas, to Harry O. and Frances (Cairo) Peterson, who at one time ran the Peterson Rec Center. He graduated from Atchison High School in 1958, and immediately decided to fight for his country. He was stationed in Korea twice and did one tour in Vietnam with the United States Army Signal Corps. Ralph retired as a sergeant first class and received the Bronze Star for his service.
Ralph met the love of his life, Sharon L. Ptomey, after the two exchanged love letters while Ralph was in Korea. After one date, he asked Sharon to marry him. They tied the knot on Sept. 23, 1967, in Atchison. The couple spent time in Georgia, California, Germany and Turkey before settling in Huron, Kansas, where they raised three children. The couple later moved to Lancaster and then Paradise Lake.
Agent Orange led to disease that ultimately took Ralph’s leg – but it never stopped his love of laughter. If he wasn’t asking his grandkids to pull his finger, he was smoking his pipe and telling jokes. He also enjoyed being an amateur ham operator, riding motorcycles and tinkering with technology.
After more than 20 years in the Army, Ralph worked as an Atchison County Sheriff’s deputy and as a technician for Rainbow Telephone. After retiring from Rainbow, he served as a technology “guru” for Golden Eagle Casino. Ralph was president of Atchison County Amateur Radio Service and volunteered as a weather spotter. He touched the lives of many people and made substantial sacrifices for not only his country, but also for his family.
He was preceded in death by his parents and an older brother, Jim Peterson.
He leaves behind Sharon, his partner of 53 years; three children – Brian (Sammy) Peterson, Greg (Lori) Peterson and Ann (Anthony) Bush; seven grandchildren, Brooke (Lucas) Kuhn, Kara (Chris) Larson, Nikolas Peterson, Allyson and Ethan Peterson, and Noah and Tehya Bush; two sisters, Dorothy Robinson, and Kathryn (David) Van Rooyen; great-grandchildren; and his dog, Molly (who might as well have been one of his kids).
The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Effingham Union Church, Atchison County Amateur Radio Service or charity of choice in care of Becker-Dyer-Stanton Funeral Home, 800 Kansas Ave., Atchison, Kansas, 66002.
Visitation will take place at Becker-Dyer-Stanton Funeral Home in Atchison from 10-11 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 4, followed by a funeral service at 11 a.m. A graveside service with full military honors will take place at 12:30 p.m. at the Leavenworth National Cemetery.
Seventy-three and 88 from XYL.
P.S. Pull my finger.
When Ralph Peterson uttered these words, you knew what was coming - either a joke that would make you laugh until your sides hurt or one that would make you groan and roll your eyes.
Ralph, beloved husband, father and grandfather, received his place among the angels about 9:30 p.m. Jan. 26, 2021. He died at his home surrounded by family. It was one of the coldest and snowiest nights of the year – leave it to Ralph to make quite the exit.
Ralph was born Aug. 18, 1940, in Atchison, Kansas, to Harry O. and Frances (Cairo) Peterson, who at one time ran the Peterson Rec Center. He graduated from Atchison High School in 1958, and immediately decided to fight for his country. He was stationed in Korea twice and did one tour in Vietnam with the United States Army Signal Corps. Ralph retired as a sergeant first class and received the Bronze Star for his service.
Ralph met the love of his life, Sharon L. Ptomey, after the two exchanged love letters while Ralph was in Korea. After one date, he asked Sharon to marry him. They tied the knot on Sept. 23, 1967, in Atchison. The couple spent time in Georgia, California, Germany and Turkey before settling in Huron, Kansas, where they raised three children. The couple later moved to Lancaster and then Paradise Lake.
Agent Orange led to disease that ultimately took Ralph’s leg – but it never stopped his love of laughter. If he wasn’t asking his grandkids to pull his finger, he was smoking his pipe and telling jokes. He also enjoyed being an amateur ham operator, riding motorcycles and tinkering with technology.
After more than 20 years in the Army, Ralph worked as an Atchison County Sheriff’s deputy and as a technician for Rainbow Telephone. After retiring from Rainbow, he served as a technology “guru” for Golden Eagle Casino. Ralph was president of Atchison County Amateur Radio Service and volunteered as a weather spotter. He touched the lives of many people and made substantial sacrifices for not only his country, but also for his family.
He was preceded in death by his parents and an older brother, Jim Peterson.
He leaves behind Sharon, his partner of 53 years; three children – Brian (Sammy) Peterson, Greg (Lori) Peterson and Ann (Anthony) Bush; seven grandchildren, Brooke (Lucas) Kuhn, Kara (Chris) Larson, Nikolas Peterson, Allyson and Ethan Peterson, and Noah and Tehya Bush; two sisters, Dorothy Robinson, and Kathryn (David) Van Rooyen; great-grandchildren; and his dog, Molly (who might as well have been one of his kids).
The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Effingham Union Church, Atchison County Amateur Radio Service or charity of choice in care of Becker-Dyer-Stanton Funeral Home, 800 Kansas Ave., Atchison, Kansas, 66002.
Visitation will take place at Becker-Dyer-Stanton Funeral Home in Atchison from 10-11 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 4, followed by a funeral service at 11 a.m. A graveside service with full military honors will take place at 12:30 p.m. at the Leavenworth National Cemetery.
Seventy-three and 88 from XYL.
P.S. Pull my finger.