Peterson, Hewitt Lynn Sr., Lifetime Master Coordinator, our father and grandfather, twin brother to Uncle Harlan, older brother to Aunt Elaine, younger brother to Uncle Laverne and Aunt Ethel went to be with the Lord, July 23, 2011.  There is a song we sing in Church, “When We All…Get to Heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be…”  We see Dad with the Lord … rejoicing with Grandma Pete and Grandpa Peterson, gathered together with Uncle Bernard, Aunt Ruth, Uncle Swede and Uncle Ray and all the wonderful crazy aunts, uncles and cousins that went before, all gathered on the other side.

I know Dad was especially looking forward to meeting, for the first time, his baby sister Lucille, who went to be with the Lord years before he and Uncle Harlan were born.  The family often talked about baby Lucille, grandmas first born, who would have been their older sister. 

Dad and his brothers and sisters were born into extreme poverty at the start of the great depression on a dirt farm in Ellendale, Minnesota.  As they grew up he and his brothers excelled in athletics in school, served in the military during the Second World War and came back to Minnesota with a new perspective on life.  Dad and his brothers became successful in many areas of business, but Dad loved the Shaklee business, as everyone in the Peterson and Oswald family can attest. Through Shaklee he and Mom traveled the world and saw and did things that as young people raised in Blooming Prairie and Ellendale they never could have imagined seeing or doing.

Several weeks ago the Petersons had their alternating year family reunion and picnic.   Aunt Ethel at almost 100 was there, along with Dad and his surviving brothers.  They, and the small children, were all the center of attention.  As the family sang old gospel songs and told fun stories and ate way more than we should.   Gathered that day in the park were more than 250 aunts, uncles, cousins, spouses, grand kids, great-grand kids, great-great-grand kids and friends.  Lots of laughing, eating and storytelling was shared.  We learned as children that when the Petersons tell stories about each other, friends or family, sometimes the facts get lost in fun distortions.   If a story is worth telling, it is probably worth adding a little to.

Dad leaves behind his loving wife of 67 years of the Oswald Family of Blooming Prairie, Bette Rae who will miss her honey, Hewey, terribly, along with his kids, grandkids and great-grandkids.  Mom often said, if something ever happens to one of us, I just hope that we both go together.  And in the past few years as they grew older, and Dad’s vision worsened, and Mom was required to do the driving, Dad once shared with me, “The way she drives we probably will both go together.”

Dad will be greatly missed.  The family and friends came together for a visitation on Thursday, July 28, 2011 from 5-8 p.m. at Albin Chapel, 6855 Rowland Road, Eden Prairie, MN and a service Friday, July 29 at 11 a.m. at Plymouth Covenant Church, www.plymouthcovenant.org, 4300 Vicksburg Lane, Plymouth, MN. There was a fellowship following the service to celebrate him, talk about him and probably tell fun stories about him, and other members of the family, past and present.  That is just what we Petersons do.  The entombment followed at Gethsemane Cemetery Chapel Mausoleum. If you have questions call Becky Cymek (Peterson) at 443-871-6715.