"What an amazing person. I remember is laughter and enthusiasm for everything. He was a fantastic neighbor as was his family. He and his family changed the way I view the world and opened my mind to what is out there. "
In loving memory of
Arthur E. Peterson
March 11, 1923 - January 26, 2015
MADISON- Arthur Edwin Peterson, age 91, died on January 26, 2015. He was born on the family farm near Curtiss, Wisconsin on March 11, 1923, the son of Anna (Thompson) and Edwin Peterson. He attended a one-room school and graduated from Owen High School. He began college at the University of Wisconsin-Madison with the aid of a Sears Roebuck Agriculture Foundation Scholarship. He married Eva Ann Mundth on February 13, 1944 in Reedsburg, Wisconsin.
WW II interrupted his schooling when he enrolled in the U.S. Army Air Corp Meteorology program. He spent a year at Carleton College, Northfield, MN. The program closed and he transferred to the Army Signal Corp. He served 18 months in Europe with the 3124th Signal Port Service Co. and survived the Battle of the Bulge.
Art returned to UW-Madison and received three degrees from the College of Agriculture. He joined the faculty of the Soil Science Department in 1950; he did agricultural extension work throughout the state and taught and researched in soil and water conservation. His early work in planting corn without plowing (no till) is now widely accepted. In 1960 he developed a unique statewide frost depth-reporting network in cooperation with cemetery officials, funeral directors and the State Crop Reporting Service to provide frost depths from November to April. This network still continues. Land application of bio-solids occupied most of his work in later years. For 30 years his Soil and Water Conservation course had a 120-mile aerial field trip to study the erosion and drainage problems associated with the glaciated and unglaciated areas of Wisconsin. He retired from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1994.
Art received the J.S. Donald Excellence in Teaching Award, Water Environment Federation Industrial Waste Control Award, and the U.S. EPA Beneficial Biosolids Use Award. He was a Fellow in the American Association for Advancement of Science, the Soil and Water Conservation Society of America and the American Society of Agronomy. He held memberships in the Soil Science Society of America, the International Soil Science Society, the American Society of Agronomy, the Soil Conservation Society of America, the American Society of Agricultural Engineers, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the International Soil Tillage Organization, the Wisconsin Academy of Science, Arts and Letters, the Wisconsin Farm City Council, Nature Conservatory Society, and the UW Agriculture and Life Science Alumni Association.
Art also had considerable overseas experience. In 1965 he took a leave from UW-Madison and joined the Rockefeller Foundation as Chief Resident Consultant to the Egyptian Minister of Agriculture. With his wife, Eva and their three sons -- Don, Bob and Bill -- they lived in Maadi, Egypt (just outside Cairo for nearly two years). When the Six Day War cut the stay short, they lived for three months in Bangkok, Thailand, working with the Rockefeller Foundation Corn Project en route back to Wisconsin. Art returned five more times to Egypt on agricultural projects and also worked in Syria, Armenia, and Indonesia on research and educational issues.
Art was also active in many local organizations. He was a charter member of West Madison Kiwanis and served as Wisconsin-Upper Michigan Kiwanis District Governor from 1973-74. He was president of the West Madison Little League and located their present site. He served as Little League District 4 Administrator for 15 years. In 1996 he was named Mr. Olympian of the Year by the Madison Service Club Council. He was active at Bethel Lutheran Church, serving on the Church Council, teaching high school Sunday school for 10 years and the Bethel Series for five years, president of the Media Board, Bethel Couples Club, Men's Book Study and Sound and Light Coordinator. Art served for seven years on the Lutheran Campus Directing Committee. Art was a long time member and officer of the Madison-Oslo Sister City committee and hosted guests from Olso and, with Eva, visited Norway several times. He was also a member of the Wisconsin Farm City Council, Bascom Hill Society, Ygdrasil, People-to-People, Epsilon Sigma Phi, Sigma Xi, Gamma Sigma Delta and Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Art enjoyed sports and for decades had season tickets to UW football, basketball and hocky games. He was a 40-year member of the UW faculty bowling league, and also enjoyed golf and stamp collecting. He loved to play ping-pong. Art was a good photographer and took hundreds of slides on his many trips and used them in his courses and in dozens of talks around the state.
Art's "Shangri-La," one of favorite places to spend time, was his family's 50 acres on the north fork of the Flambeau River, in middle of the Flambeau State Forest.
Art was an energetic person who lived his life to his fullest. His warmth and compassion for others was an inspiration to all. He was deeply devoted to his family, grandchildren and great grandchildren, who were a delight to him.
He is survived by his three sons, Donald (Linda) of Eden Prairie, MN; Robert (Barbara) of Milwaukee; and William (Lois) of Middleton, in addition to six grandchildren -- Jennifer, Jason, Caitlin, Mahalia, Anne and Heidi-- and five great-grandchildren, Dominic, Avery, Zaphaniah, Zechariah, and Addison. He was preceded in death by Eva, his beloved wife of 66 years, his parents and his brother and sister-in-law, Ralph and Gwen.
Funeral services will be held at BETHEL LUTHERAN CHURCH, 312 Wisconsin Avenue, Madison on Saturday, January 31, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. Visitation will be held at the church on Saturday, from 9:00 a.m. until the time of service.
Donations may be made in Art's name to West Madison Little League or TV Media Ministry of Bethel Lutheran Church.
Cress Funeral Service
3610 Speedway Road, Madison
(608)238-3434
Tributes
"Such a great friend for so many years. A very nice service last Saturday"
"Rethinking Schools editors and staff were saddened to learn of the death of Art Peterson. No one person is more responsible for the birth and growth of Rethinking Schools than Art's son Bob Peterson. Bob is very much Art's son -- determined, hard-working, committed to making the world a better place, dedicated to friends and family, filled with ideas for new projects. Some Rethinking Schools editors were fortunate enough to join the Peterson clan at Milwaukee Brewers games, or to visit the Peterson land on the Flambeau River, or to talk with Art when he joined us for the 25th anniversary celebration of Rethinking Schools in 2011. We are thankful to Art for "giving us" his son, Bob. And we are thankful for his incredible generosity toward Rethinking Schools. "
" My husband Wally and I enjoyed our many visits over blueberry pie with Art. Art shared his military stories as well as growing up on the farm and worldly travels. Art made Madison a destination stop several times a year for us. We shall miss him dearly. "
"On behalf of the entire multiple generations of my family I offer to you sympathies. As a Farm and Industry Short Course student of the 70s I recall his soils classes and stories of research and interaction with the farming community. A teachable moment. As a dairy farmer with a true belief in stewardship, well I couldn't have a better mentor. One fond memory was always having lunch with Art at the annual meeting of Wisconsin Farm Technology Days. The conversation was always better than the meal. Truly a career well spent. Charles Crave and the rest of us at the Crave Brothers Farm."
"It was a privilege to have Art as a doubles ping pong partner when we won numerous championships representing Madison West Kiwanis in the service club Olympics . Art always had a smile on his face and was a great leader. We had fun. He will always live in my memory."
"The committee, flight team and board of Badger Honor Flight are thankful for Arthur's military service and proud to have served him on his visit to Washington, D.C. in October 2010. "
"My sympathies and prayers are with you all. The passing of a loved one is never easy. Art was a wonderful man and humanitarian. And, we can find comfort in our own memories. While I didn't know Art extremely well; I will always remember and value the caring guidance he gave to me as I also ran for the position of Kiwanis District Governor. He will be greatly missed."
"To the Peterson family Our sympathies to you on the passing of Art. We have had the honor to have spent many enjoyable times with Art & Eva during our years in Wisconsin. Art was a most valuable advisor to me in my year as Governor of the WI-UM Kiwanis District. Joel & Judy Draper "
"Don, Bob & Bill: My wife and I had the pleasure of knowing your Dad & Mother through the "Odana Bunch"..He was such a great caregiver for your Mom when she was declining. Also, he was a long-time member of The National Active & Retired Federal Employee Asso. . (NARFE) His accomplishments ibn Ag. were astounding. Jim & Ginny Honer"
"Our thoughts and prayers go out to you all. We were blessed to have known both Art and Eva through the Kiwanis organization. Art was a remarkable person and will truly be missed especially that great big smile of his. We shae in your loss. Dale & Kay Vannes Past Governor of Kiwanis 90-91"
"Don, Bob and Bill, We extend our deepest sympathy to you and your families on the loss of your father, whom we remember as a boundlessly energetic and enthusiastic fellow. We fondly recall the time your family visited us in Beirut in the late 60's when you were living in Cairo and, in particular, your enjoyment of the fresh fruits and vegetables and other bounties Lebanon had to offer in contrast to what was then available in Egypt. When I told my father (who is now 96) of your dad's passing, he recounted a story we heard often of the time he and your dad were doing some university consulting work in Syria in the late 1970's. With the work completed and my father eager to head back the States, Art insisted that they they first travel to Maaloula, a Christian mountain village 50 or so miles northeast of Damascus in which Aramaic--the language of Christ--is still spoken. He wanted my Arabic-speaking father to assist him in finding townspeople whom he could tape-record reciting the Lord's Prayer in Aramaic! And find them they did. Perhaps you still have those recordings, as well as many fond memories of your own. Our fond thoughts are with you."
"Family of Art Peterson Prof. Peterson was a true educator. His exuberance, common sense, ability to convey, and ever present smile made learning a memorable experience. Peace be with you. "
"What a fabulous tribute to Art. We always enjoyed visiting him. You are all in our thoughts and prayers"