Allen K. Peterson

Allen K. Peterson, 93, of Ventura, died Thursday, Aug. 7, 2014 at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit in Mason City.
 Funeral services were held Monday, Aug. 11, at Redeemer Lutheran Church, in Ventura, with Pastor Scott Kozisek officiating.   Burial was in Memorial Park Cemetery, in Mason City.

 Memorials may be directed to Redeemer Lutheran Church, in Ventura, or Hospice of North Iowa.
 Allen Kenneth Peterson, the son of Martin and Matilda (Roswag) Peterson, was born Nov. 18, 1920, on a farm in rural Ventura. He graduated from Ventura High School in 1939.  During high school he was a part of helping name the school.  Allen dropped in the suggestion box, Ventura Vikings, and the school voted to accept it. On March 21, 1943, he married Arlene Johnson at the Lutheran parsonage, in Clear Lake. He met Arlene at the Surf Ballroom, in Clear Lake. To this union two children were born, Barbara and Ken. The couple farmed west of Ventura until 1972. Allen farmed with his brother, Wilbur, and had the typical farm of that era cattle, pigs, chickens, corn, soybeans, oats and hay.  There was lots of hard manual labor in those days. In 1972, they built a house in Ventura.   Allen then went to work for Winnebago Industries, in Forest City, and later at Farmers Co-op Elevator, in Ventura, where he mainly ran the bulk truck until his retirement.
 He was a member of Redeemer Lutheran Church and  a former member of Ellington Prairie Lutheran Church.
 Allen is survived by his wife of 71 years, Arlene Peterson, of Ventura; daughter, Barbara (Keith) Christians, of Garner; son, Kenneth Peterson, of Mason City (fiancée, Marcia Monson); grandchildren, David (Kristie) Christians, Kevin (Stacy) Christians, Eric Peterson and Kyle (Sara) Peterson; great grandchildren, Aaron (Beth) Christians, Alicia Christians, Tyler Peterson, Gray Christians, Dane Christians, Maeve Christians, Brynn Peterson and Leo Peterson; a brother, Kermit (Vivian) Peterson of Las Vegas, Nev.; a sister-in-law, Helen Peterson, of Clear Lake; and many nieces and nephews.
 He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Wilbur Peterson; and daughter-in-law, Janelle Peterson.
 Cataldo Funeral Home, Garner, Iowa, was in charge of arrangements.