John Petersen Iii

Madison - I was born on October 19, 1941, in Madison, the first-born child of Sylvia and Alfred Petersen; I passed away on October 4, 2018. I am survived by my wonderful wife of 54 years and high school sweetheart, Gretchen; my son, Eric (Tracy), grandchildren, Blake, Griffin, twins Paige and Sloan; my daughter, Rehna (Scott), grandchildren, John, Abby, Brooks; my siblings, Suzanne and Eames and their families. I was preceded in death by my parents and an infant daughter. For all intents and purposes, I have lived my entire life in Madison, attending Highlands Mendota Beach grade school (now known as Crestwood), Wisconsin High School which was affiliated with the University of Wisconsin, and during my later years of formal education, I majored in finance in the UW's School of Business and received my Master's degree in Real Estate. Following my graduation, I joined my father in the real estate business. During my career, I served as Board member and/or committee member of United Banks of Wisconsin and Valley Banks. In 1990 Governor Thompson appointed me to the Board of the Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority (WHEDA) where I served for eleven years. In 1993 I was named as a Trustee on the State of Wisconsin Investment Board (SWIB) and from 1995 until 2001 I served as the Chairman of SWIB. Much of my career involved business ventures with my partners - Nate Brand, Fred Mohs, and John Tye. In 1985-86, one of our partnership's most challenging yet rewarding projects was the building of Manchester Place office building where I enjoyed an office on the 9th floor overlooking our magnificent State Capitol. The accomplishment of which I am most proud is the creation of the Wisconsin Housing Preservation Corporation (WHPC). This non-profit entity was created by Dan O'Connell and myself to purchase, renovate, and own low-income housing made available to the elderly and to low-income families throughout the state of Wisconsin. I served as president of this corporation from its inception in 2001 until 2017. Currently WHPC owns over 8,000 units in 56 counties in the state. For the past 20 years I have been able to live up to one of my deepest beliefs: If a person is born into this life with advantages which many others do not have, after the primary responsibility to one's family is met, it is time to give back to the society in which one was born. I consider myself extremely fortunate; I have lived 76 years, and Gretchen and I have raised 2 wonderful children and (hopefully) have positively influenced our grandchildren.

My family is hosting a Celebration of my Life at BLACKHAWK COUNTRY CLUB, 3606 Blackhawk Drive, Madison on Friday, October 26, 2018 from 4:00 until 7:00 p.m. with memory-sharing at 5:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Carbone Cancer, 600 Highland Ave., Madison, WI 53705, or to the charity of your choice.

Cress Funeral & Cremation Service
3610 Speedway Road, Madison
608-238-3434