Carl E Peterson

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, February 23, 2014 in Howe and Yockey Funeral Home, Shelbyville, IL with Rev. Dan Seibert officiating and flag presentation by the Shelby County Honor Guard. Visitation will be from 1:00-2:00 p.m. Sunday in the funeral home. A luncheon will be held in the Fellowship Hall of the First United Methodist Church, following the services. Burial will be at a later date in Dodge Grove Cemetery, Mattoon, IL. Memorials may be given to the Food Pantry at the First United Methodist Church of Shelbyville, Free Community Luncheon at the First Presbyterian Church of Shelbyville or Shelbyville Public Library.

Carl was born on September 25, 1916 in Arcola, IL, the son of Clarence Franklin and Mabel Irene Rusk Peterson. He was a newspaper delivery boy in Mattoon, IL, from 1927 – 1935. Carl graduated from Mattoon High School in the Class of 1935. He then attended Eastern Illinois State Teachers College in Charleston, IL, where he was a Tennis Letterman and a member of the Glee Club. He was the Tennis Champion of Coles County for 1940-1941. Carl served in the U. S. Army Air Corps in the Pacific during World War II, earning the rank of Tech Sergeant. He was a flight engineer on B-17s and B-24s and was a part of flight crews that landed in all 50 states. Carl returned from the service and was a grain and livestock farmer for 40 years and a dairy farmer for 16 years. He earned the Conservation Farmer Award in 1975. Carl also drove a bus for the Shelbyville Community Unity School District #4 until the age of 75. He was “accident free” during his 35 years of bus driving. Carl was a member and treasurer of the former Robinson Creek United Methodist Church and was currently a member of the First United Methodist Church in Shelbyville. He was active in his community and enjoyed delivering Peace Meals from 1981-2013. Carl also volunteered his time at the Food Pantry at the First United Methodist Church and was a medical transport for five years. He was an active member Shelby County Farm Bureau and the Shelby County Senior Center, where he played on four championship shuffleboard teams. He married Maxine Alberta Haynie on March 19, 1944. She died on June 9, 2009.

He is survived by his son, Russell F. Peterson and wife Pat of Shelbyville, IL; daughter, Jane Ellen Pyfer and husband Craig of Preston, ID; four grandchildren, Sean Peterson and wife Becky of Maplewood, MN, Kip Peterson and wife Adria of Shelbyville, IL, Holly Rhodes and husband Jacob of Maroa, IL and Paul Engkapattarangkul of Minneapolis, MN; six great grandchildren, Kaylee, Kara, Kenzie and Kellan Peterson, Destin Rhodes and Brody Peterson; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Maxine; and siblings, Merwyn Peterson, Bernice Kenney, Morris Peterson, Irma King and in infancy Rose Marie Peterson.

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