Willard Richard "Dick" Petersen Jr. Obituary (1927

Willard Richard “Dick” Petersen Jr., age 92, passed away peacefully on October 26, 2019, in Farmington, Utah. He was born March 16, 1927 in Provo, Utah to Willard Richard Petersen Sr. and Maude Hazel Lamborne. He was the oldest child and caring brother to Beverly (Bill) Kiser and Raymond (Debbie) Campbell. Dick attended elementary, middle school and high school in Provo. He was a trumpet player in the band at Farrer Jr. High and worked as a custodian at several schools while attending Provo High. He was caring for his mother and sister while in high school and told a little white lie about being 16 when he was only 15 to start working at the Ironton iron doing odd jobs. He met his life-long sweetheart, Doris Shirlene Smith, at the Startups Candy Store in Provo in 1947. After some courting, they were married April 2, 1948 in Provo, Utah. Dick was drafted into the Army and served in World War II and later in the Korean War. Dick moved his little family to a Texas Army base where Shirlene cared for their oldest child, Nancy. Their second child, “Dickie” came along in 1951 and they moved back to Provo. After the Army he started his career at Ironton and then later started at Geneva Steel Mill where he would stay for 42 years. He worked in the roll shop as a roll grinder. He attempted to retire, however he had such a knowledge of the roll shop and experience at Geneva that they asked him to come back to help train his replacement and he ended up staying another 2 years. Dick loved to fish, go boating, camping, traveling and work in his yard and garden. He also loved to fix things and would help literally anyone who asked. If you needed something fixed, even if he initially didn’t know how to fix it, he would find a way. And when he did fix something, he would tell you “that will stay forever”, and it usually did for good or bad. Dick also loved to talk and would talk to anyone about anything. Dick had a way of knowing a little bit about absolutely everything. His family would frequently lose him at gatherings or while camping and find him hours later in another campsite talking to other campers. He had a unique way of pulling people into a conversation and making them feel that what they were saying was the most important thing he had heard that day. He would never leave a conversation without saying “It was nice talking to you!” Dick loved his family most of all. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for them. He attended every dance recital, every school function, every graduation, every wedding. After retiring, he and Shirlene traveled every day to care for their great grandchildren for several years. They went on field trips, helped at school parties and spent endless days at the park. He taught his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren to be the best they could be, be helpful to others, and find solutions for problems. Dick’s whole life was spent in the service to others. He has been an amazing example of love and giving to his family. Dick is survived by his wife of 71 years, Shirlene, brother Raymond (Debbie) Campbell, daughter Nancy (Brent) Hutchings, grandchildren Candee (James) Allred, Clint (Kristie) Hutchings and Teriee Hutchings, and great grandchildren Scott, Kiely, Dallin, Holland, Gracie and Ty. He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister Bev and his son, Richard Brent “Dickie” Petersen. The family appreciates the kindness and love shown to Dick during his brief time at the Legacy House Assisted Living Community in Farmington. Even those aids that he gave a hard time to for giving him “those damn horse pills”. He loved giving them a hard time and they loved him right back. Funeral services will be held at 12:00 noon, Saturday, November 2, 2019 at the Grandview 1st Ward Chapel, 1555 North 1350 West, Provo, Utah. A viewing for friends and family will be held from 9:45-11:45 a.m. prior to services. Dick will be laid to rest in the Timpanogos Memorial Gardens Cemetery. Condolences and stories may be shared with the family at www.bergmortuary.com. They would love to hear your stories about Dick.