Donald Ward Petersen, aged 94, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and great-great-grandfather passed away peacefully at his home in Hinckley, Utah in the early morning hours of July 9, 2015. He was born September 12, 1920 in Deseret, Utah to Nels L and Edith Bennett Petersen; the eighth of 10 children.
Ward married NaRae Ellis on January 1, 1947 in Las Vegas, Nevada and was sealed to her along with their children in the Idaho Falls Temple on August 8, 1963. The father of 9 children, 47 grandchildren, 126 great- grandchildren and 13 great-great-grandchildren; family is his greatest legacy.
Ward had six doting sisters who loved him dearly and 3 big brothers who were his best friends. He graduated from Hinckley High school and attended BYU before being drafted into the Army Air Force during World War II. He was truly representative of the Greatest Generation. The ways he served his community, church and nation are too numerous to recount.
In the War, Ward was a top Turret Gunner on B-24 Liberator Bomber of the 15th Air Force stationed in Torreta, Italy. On June 13, 1944, while bombing German Units marshaling to support the enemy during the Normandy Invasion, his plane was shot down and Ward was a Prisoner of War until Liberated on May 6, 1945. Ward told many stories of his adventures while a POW. Most of them had to do with food, or lack thereof while force marched 600 miles through Germany during one of the coldest winters on record.
Ward was a farmer, rancher, feed mill manager and County Road Crew worker. He always held a love for horses and the land. Growing up when draft horses were the norm, his older brothers taught him to harness and drive the horses used on the farm. He rode horses in his home town’s parade into his 90’s. He was active in the LDS Church with many callings, including bishopric counselor and high councilor; but perhaps his favorite was Sunday School teacher to the youth. Ward was always available to the members of his community; assisting those in need from irrigating and mowing yards, growing sweet corn for the neighbors, or helping the elderly get into bed at night. He was a long time member of the Hinckley Lions club and, like so many of his generation, involved in many other charitable organizations. Ward was always a true son of his home town of Hinckley. After his retirement, he served as the mayor, town water master and cemetery caretaker all at the same time. He will be missed by his family, community and all who knew him. The void he leaves in passing will be difficult to fill.
Ward is survived by his wife, NaRae, of 68 years; children: Valerie Mason, Mesa, AZ; Sue Wood (Brent), American Fork, UT; David Petersen (Pat), Salt Lake City, UT; Christine Cardon (Royal), Bothell; WA; JoRae Lovell (Sylvan), Leamington, UT; Brent Petersen (Linda), Coolidge, AZ; Richard Petersen (Maria), Nephi, UT; Bobbie Killpack (Roger), Delta, UT; Jill Guillory (Robert), Nephi, UT; and sister: Barbra Ashby, Delta, UT. He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers, five sisters, a son-in-law, two grandsons and one great grandson.
Memorial Services will be held in the Hinckley LDS Ward on Saturday July 18, 2015 at 11:00am. The family will be receiving condolences from 9:30am-10:45am prior to service.