Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, April 11, 2019, at Hope United Methodist Church with Pastor Nan Smith officiating. Full military honors will be presented at the church by the combined Marshalltown American Legion/VFW Honor Guard. Visitation will be held from 5-7:00 p.m. Wednesday, April 10th at the Mitchell Family Funeral Home. Memorials may be directed to the American Diabetes Association, American Heart Association or Iowa Heart Center in Marshalltown. For condolences, please visit www.mitchellfh.com. Ph. 641-844-1234.

Born Virgil Dean Petersen on August 24, 1944, in Primghar, Iowa, (a place he referred to as “God’s Country”), he was the eleventh of 13 children born to Willie Henry and Viola Christina (Scherner) Petersen. He graduated from Primghar High School in 1963. After high school, he served our country honorably in the United States Army as a medic from January of 1966 until December of 1967 in Germany. Upon his return, he continued his education at Iowa Lakes Community College graduating in 1969.

On March 22, 1969, he was united in marriage to Janet Elaine Dahna in Estherville, Iowa. The young couple moved to Milwaukee, WI, where Virgil was attending the Milwaukee Institute of Mortuary Science. He graduated in 1970. On September 1st, of that same year, he began employment at the Estel-Perrin Funeral Home in Marshalltown. Pete retired as General Manager of the Estel-Perrin-Avey Funeral Home in 2007 after 37.5 years of dedicated service to the community.

Virgil was a 48-year member of the American Legion, former Moose Lodge member and past Iowa Funeral Directors Association as well as being a founding member of the Empty Nesters Card Club. He loved to play cards and sometimes was accused by co-workers of creating new and unique rules to gain an advantage! Above all, he treasured his family and his grandkid’s activities.

Left to cherish his memory are Janet, his loving wife of 50 years; two daughters: Kris (Jeff) Henze, of Bondurant and Kim Petersen, of Marshalltown; four grandchildren: Jordyn (Phillip) Rockwell, Kyle Henze, Hunter Barnard and Baylee Barnard; brother Gordon Petersen and sisters Beverly Petersen, Verleen Zevenbergen and Gloria Dolan as well as numerous nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.

In death, Pete rejoined his parents, five brothers and three sisters.