Byron Peterson

MADISON- Byron D. Peterson, age 89, passed away peacefully on April 3, 2017 following a brief illness. Byron, the late son of Joseph and Mary (Williams) Peterson, was born on his mother's birthday on September 13, 1927 in Dodgeville. He was the youngest of eight children and was surrounded by the love of his parents and siblings. He grew up on the family dairy farm in Dodgeville Township, Iowa County, Wisconsin, and completed the first eight grades of school in the one-room country Bunker Hill School. He graduated from Dodgeville High School in 1946, and then worked for a short time for the Clyman Company Farm. Later, on completion of a milk testing course at the University of Wisconsin, Byron was a milk tester in Kenosha and Racine Counties. By 1949, he was working for the Clayton Wax Company of Chicago where he discovered that he enjoyed sales work. Sales work continued with Armour & Company in Madison, Wis., where he was a meat salesman of 14 years. When the Armour plant closed in 1964, he became a salesman for Hoffman Chemical & Supply Company Madison. He later became the manager and vice president of the company's janitorial division, the DnS Corporation. Byron retired in 1990 after 26 years of service.
Byron met Dorothy Schiesser on a blind date, and they were married in the Evangelical and Reformed Church in Belleville, Wis. on October 20, 1951. Their's was a close and loving marriage of over 65 years. Byron was a devoted husband, father and grandfather, and loved his family very much. He and Dorothy raised their two children, Kathie and Michael, in a home they built in the Orchard Ridge community of Madison where they lived for 45 years.

Byron enjoyed family camping and traveling to national parks and many other places around the U.S. He and Dorothy also traveled to many European countries as well as Australia and New Zealand. In retirement he became an avid reader. He was always drawn back to the century-old, family home farm in Iowa County where he spent many days helping with the farm work. Byron was a long-time member of the Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ and was involved in many of its activities. He volunteered for the Retired Senior Volunteer Program of Dane County for over 20 years. Byron was a member of the Cambrian (Welsh) Heritage Society. He was active in his son's Boy Scout Troop No. 102 in leadership, camping and troop activities.

Byron is survived by his wife, Dorothy; a daughter, Kathryn (Kathie) E. Peterson-Geiger of Baraboo; a son, Michael B. Peterson of Madison; and two beloved granddaughters, Karen Rose Geiger and Amy Elizabeth Geiger of Madison. He is further survived by a sister, Helen Huber of Auburn, NY, and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by one sister, Elizabeth Hickey, and five brothers, DuWayne, Donald, Phillip Dean, Frederick and Douglas.

A funeral service will be held at ORCHARD RIDGE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST, 1501 Gilbert Rd, Madison on Saturday, April 8, 2017 at 11 a.m. Visitation will be held at church from 10 a.m. until the time of service on Saturday.
Memorials may be given to Orchard Ridge United Church of Christ; RSVP of Dane County, 517 N. Segoe Rd, Suite 300, Madison, WI; or the Verona Public Library, Verona, WI.