Alan Reed Peterson

Alan Reed Peterson passed away October 28, 2021 with his family by his side after a valiant two year fight with leukemia. He was born February 9, 1940 to Mabel Alice Green and Theron Ritchie Peterson in Ogden, Utah. He was the second child; younger brother of Bonita and older brother of Nancy. He grew up in Kanesville, Utah among his grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins. He had an adventurous childhood working, farming, ranching, playing, teasing his sisters, and causing just a bit of mischief. He participated in many musicals and operas as a youth and always loved to sing; he had a beautiful tenor voice. During high school Dad participated in 4-H and FFA and was the Utah State Tractor Champion which took him to the nationals in Chicago and also won the Chicken of Tomorrow Contest. Dad learned to work hard from a young age and that never left him.

He graduated from Weber High School and attended Weber State College where he first caught sight of Norma Murdock. He followed her to try outs for a play and to get her attention, he tried out for the play. Dad landed one of the leading roles and he landed Norma’s attention and held it for 60+ years. He served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the East Central States Mission comprising West Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Upon return from his mission, he married Norma in the Logan Temple on March 15, 1963. They both later graduated from Utah State University and Dad then attended law school at the University of Utah. However, after law school he found he did not want to be an attorney after all, yet he used his knowledge of law throughout his life.

Dad was very involved in the Republican party in Utah and nationally. At the young age of 28 he was the chairman of the “Neighbors for Nixon”, nationally organizing the many volunteers working to elect Richard Nixon president. After Nixon was elected, he was asked to work as assistant to President Nixon, but Dad declined as he did not want to make a permanent move to DC. He did, however, work on Nixon’s advance team. After a few years working for the White House, he returned to Utah to work and did many things: political consultant, pilot, stockbroker, guest lecturer of political affairs at the University of Utah, and Executive Director of the Hinkley Institute of Politics. In his spare time, Dad loved to ski and sail. While living in Salt Lake City, he competed yearly in a Memorial Day regatta on the Great Salt Lake.

Dad and Mom moved the family to Boise, Idaho in 1976 when Dad became a partner in a trucking company. They later split the company and Dad grew his company into three: Hutsell Transfer, Far West Express, and Timberline Transportation. While running these three businesses, he continued to be politically involved in the running of many campaigns including Kelly Pierce for mayor, David Leroy for Lt. Governor, Larry Echohawk for Governor, and the campaign of Republican presidential candidate John Connally before he lost to Reagan in the primaries. Over the years Dad started, ran, and sold over 50 companies. After retiring from the trucking business, Dad got his real estate license and sold commercial real estate. He then became involved in real estate development and was project manager for many projects around the valley. During this time, Dad sang with the Boise Master Chorale for 15 years and served as president for two. He loved good and beautiful music and especially loved singing the Messiah at Christmas. After a while, Dad settled into his true passion: raising horses, cattle, and grandchildren. He loved being on a horse, among his cattle, and around just about any animal. Over the years we have had cats, dogs, horses, cows, a pet skunk, a pet porcupine, and even a pet magpie that he tried to teach to speak.

Dad loved to be in the mountains; he loved their peace and beauty. He loved to hunt and fish. Most particularly, he loved to take his family and friends into the mountains. Camping with Dad was a major production, and you could always count on eating and sleeping better in the mountains with Dad than you did back home. On Labor Day weekends he took his boys on a horse pack trip to Langer Lakes. This yearly trip started with just him and his two sons, but it eventually became a much loved tradition for him, his sons, son-in-law, and grandsons.

Dad loved many things, but his greatest love was his family. He and Norma have four children: Jennifer, Holly, Jedd, and Jared; he also lovingly claimed Jeremy and Trish Deim. Dad and Mom have been married for almost 59 years. We spent much time together working, camping, working, fishing, working, skiing, working, teasing, working, and laughing. Dad instilled in all of us a strong work ethic, a love of the Savior and His gospel, a love of family, a love of country, a love of music, a love of animals, and a love to tease and laugh. He now has sixteen grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. He was a beloved grandfather and loved to have his grandchildren with him, especially out on the farm. A day “working” with grandpa meant a few hours of fixing fences, sorting screws, picking up rocks, or some other chore followed by lunch at Arctic Circle, riding the 4-wheeler, making forts, and having fun. They could tease and challenge him better than anyone and always kept him on his toes. He faithfully called those who had left for college, and they all knew that in a pinch, Grandpa would be there to save the day.

Dad was a lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. He served in many capacities, but his favorite was being a counselor in a student ward bishopric and teaching the gospel. He thoroughly loved the opportunity to take groups of young men on High Adventure, packing into the mountains with his horses. Dad loved people and loved to serve others. Everywhere he went he would talk to people, ask about them, tease them, and make friends with them. He was very generous with his time and talents in the service of others.

Dad leaves behind his beloved wife, Norma; his children Jennifer Hawks, Holly (Jahn) Deim, Jedd (Elise), Jared (Rebecca), and Jeremy and Trish Deim; his grandchildren Makayla (Willie) Blake, Megan Deim, Theron Hawks, Alex (Tia) Peterson, Logan Deim, Tayllor (Seth) Millington, Jonah Peterson, Hunter Deim, Matthew Peterson, Meredith Hawks, Porter Deim, Riggs Peterson, Madelyn Peterson, Chloe Peterson, Hazel Peterson, and Nora Peterson; his great-grandchildren Kennedy Blake and Aiden Peterson, (and one more joining us in February 2022); his dear sister, Nancy Peterson; and many loved extended family and cherished friends.

Dad has been served by many great doctors and nurses over the years, but as a family we particularly want to extend our deepest gratitude to Dr. Travis Williams and the many amazing nurses and staff of the St. Luke’s Cancer Institute who so kindly cared for Dad and our family over the last couple of years.

A visitation will be held Sunday, November 7, 2021, 5:00-7:00 pm at Relyea Funeral Chapel (318 N Latah St. Boise, Idaho). Another visitation will be held Monday, November 8, 2021, 10:30-11:45 am at the Goddard building of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (8620 W Goddard Rd, Boise, Idaho) with funeral services immediately following at noon.

An additional visitation will be held at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 1050 E. 21st St., Ogden, Wednesday, November 10th 11:00-12:30 with interment immediately following at the Ogden City Cemetery (1875 Monroe Blvd Ogden, Utah).