Sent by Darlene Peterson.
Leslie Peterson was the s/o Peter John and Sophia Johnson Peterson. He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree at Gustavus Adolphus College in MN and took his graduate work for his Master's Degree at SD University and at SD State University. His thirteen years of experience, as an educator, was spent in schools of SD.
During the early months after public schools had opened for the fall sessions in 1942, scores of men and women teachers resigned their positions to sign contracts for better paying positions and jobs in factories. Other resigned to be with their husbands who were serving with the USA Military. A heavy burden was placed on the educators and schools at that time. Leslie was well-aware that there was throngs of qualified resigning teachers. There was a shortage of willing people to fill the vacancies left by teachers and consequently, many of the rural schools were obliged to consolidate.
This writer shared in the community's wartime effort and was obligated to fill a resigning teacher's position. The particular teaching vacancy was in a rural school only two miles from our home. Bonnie was not yet school age; however, I was given permission by the superintendent of schools to have Bonnie accompany me in this teaching position. Bonnie being well-mannered, quiet, and polite proved to be an example of good behavior in this rural school with fifteen students.
The following summer our Peterson family moved into Brookings where Leslie worked on his Master's Degree and I took a 'brush up' typing course at the Brookings University. That autumn Bonnie entered her first grade where her father was the superintendent of the school and her mother taught English and typing courses.
As World War II had increased in intensity throughout the world, the American Red Cross was in need of qualified personnel to serve with the USA Armed Forces. Leslie left his position as educator and joined in the services of the ARC and was stationed at Camp Hauze, TX. Bonnie and I accompanied him and we lived in Denton where Bonnie finished the second and third grades in one year, she was given lessons in tap-dancing and had the privilege of participation in a children's film which was sponsored by a talent scout form a film industry.
In January 1945 Leslie was sent to the Pacific as FD ARC with the USA Troops with the invasion of Okinawa. Thereafter, he was sent to the island of Midway as FD ARC for a year before returning to the USA. His stateside tour of duty as FD ARC took him to Selfridge AFB, MI; to Topeka AFB, KS: and to Fort Custer US Army Base before he received orders for the European Theater. He reported to Berlin, Germany in 1952.
During the time that Leslie was serving as FD ARC at Topeka AFB, we purchased our first family home. Bonnie had grown fond of the schools in Topeka and had made many new friends. Her mother had been an active participator in community affairs in the neighborhoods in which we lived. At Topeka our family had the comfort of visitations by this writer's parents, Charles E. and Pearl McKenzie Hiatt, and my youngest sister, Bernadine, and several brothers.
Bonnie and I wanted very much to stay in Topeka; however, we felt obligated to accompany Leslie to Fort Custer and to live in the ARC building on the US Army Base. The following Christmas a week's leave was granted to Leslie and our family made an auto trip to Lawrence, Ks and visited in the home of this writer's parents, Hiatt's, and other family relatives.
During the years prior to 1952, Bonnie had attended nine different schools and during the autumn of 1952 she entered the eleventh grade in the American High School in Bremerhaven, Germany. Leslie, who had been stationed in Berlin, had asked for a transfer when he found that only the ninth and tenth grades were offered there in the American High School. Leslie was transferred to Bremerhaven; however, he had orders to make monthly train trips to Berlin to give ARC services to the military stationed there.
Leslie was in St. Louise where he served three years as Assistant Personnel Director at ARC in Area Headquarters. Thereafter, he returned to ARC SMI and was stationed at Chanute AFS at Rantoul, Il. Our family lived in the family quarters in the ARC building on base. When Leslie was asked to take an overseas' assignment in Nuremberg, Germany, we purchased our family home in Rantoul where Bonnie and I lived until Leslie returned from overseas. We purchased a home in Champaign, Ill where Bonnie was teaching and remained there until our family came to the Wheaton area in 1968.
In 1972 Leslie Peterson departed his position in SMI ARC at Fort Sheridan and the Great Lakes Stations and returned to his home in the Wheaton area. An illustrious career of Twenty-seven years of dedicated services with the ARC had ended. He continued to work and enjoyed selling real estate and working in a family center store. He passed away within an hour after suffering his first heart attack.
Leslie's character was above reproach and his caring services to Mankind were unlimited. He approached death with peace and calm. He knew that he had served and represented his country well, his family and himself uprightly, and mankind with the greatest respect and fairness. For these virtues: obedience to county, trust in Mankind, and faith in God he was highly rewarded with a very happy life and a supportive wife and daughter.
It is a pleasure to include my descendant and daughter, Bonnie, in our Hiatt generational line. Her attractive beauty and winning personality has always been a joy for her parents. Her character is above reproach. Her trust and faithfulness allows her the ability of making worthwhile choices and, thus, resulting in a high standard of professionalism. Bonnie is a very special person and teacher of children.
Darleen had a lot of pictures, she did not know who some were, sent me one that was of my GG Grand parents and family, David and Betsy, it was in excellent condition and a real treasure, just proves the point also that these families remained close for generations, lost today as to details and history but well known to each other at least by the turn of the 1900's. Larry Anderson
Darleen Hiatt Peterson
Darleen Hiatt Peterson, 96, of Wheaton, IL, passed away Monday, October 1, 2007 at Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield, IL. Funeral services were held October 5 at Hultgren Funeral Home with Rev. Kurt Gamlin officiating, with interment at the Wheaton Cemetery.
Darleen was born October 9, 1910 in Corning, IA, the second oldest of thirteen children born to Pearl and Charles Hiatt. She spent much of her early life in South Dakota and Minnesota. She entered Southern Normal in Springfield, SD she majored in elementary education and appeared in college drama presentations. She won speaking awards for poetry presentations and was active in the Star and local church groups in South Dakota.
Darleen taught in South Dakota schools where her husband, Mr. Leslie H. Peterson, was also Superintendent of Schools and principal. Mrs. Peterson and her daughter, Bonnie, lived in Michigan, Texas, Kansas and Illinois while Mr. Peterson was Field Director for the American Red Cross in the United States and also in Germany.
She was a beautiful seamstress, homemaker and supportive mother and wife during her long and accomplished life. Her longevity was due to strong religious beliefs, values, respect for tradition, and the priority of family.
She is survived by her daughter, Dr. Bonnita “Bonnie” Peterson of Wheaton, IL; her sister, Delores Zellmer of Minnesota; her brother, Kelly Hiatt of Kansas; a niece, Rossalyn Hiatt of Downers Grove, IL; and many other nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Leslie H. Peterson; six brothers, Delbert, Howard, Ralph, Floyd, Ross and Rhynold; and four sisters, Thelma, Evelyn, Hazel and Bernadine.