Leo Peterson was born to Hazel Gifford and Minton Merrian Peterson on Sept. 21, 1929. He and his twin brother were born on the kitchen table in the Peterson home out Fish Creek near Carey.
Leo grew up as part of a hard-working farm family with his five brothers and five sisters. Any spare time was spent fishing the reservoirs and lakes and hunting the canyons of the Carey area with his brother, Lee. As a teenager they would help farmers and ranchers in the area with odd jobs, including bringing in hay. While on one of these jobs, hired out to Jim Stocking, he met his future wife, Melba Marlene Stocking. Leo and Lee would trade off weeks working for Jim, who couldn't figure out why the boy couldn't remember on Monday where he had left the hay rake on Saturday. Leo was always shy and it wasn't until Marlene went away to college that he worked up the courage to ask her to marry him. They were married Jan. 18, 1952, in her parents Jim and Lucy Stocking's house in Carey where they now reside.
They stayed with Mint and Hazel working on the farm for a year. In 1961, they purchased their farm south of Carey. Here they raised their four children, Bruce, Gwen, Mint and Erin, and the grandchildren who loved to come to Grandpa and Grandma's farm. He worked hard in the Kraft cheese factory, on the county road crew and farming. His farming consisted of raising hay, grain, and corn for his dairy cows. They sold the farm in 1996 and moved to "town" to the house they had purchased from Marlene's mother. He then chose a position as a full-time fisherman and trapper. Leo and Marlene then lived in the house in town where they were married almost 55 years ago.
Leo spent his life fishing, hunting and trapping. Those that knew him knew about the great love that he had for fishing, and hunting. He knew the country around Carey like the back of his hand, and spent much of his spare time traversing the hills and vales of our beautiful area. He loved running and physical games; he was a fast runner and could outrun his children until they reached high school. He rode in the Carey riding club and was on the Carey Rodeo Committee for many years. He served on the Flood Control Committee and was assistant water master of the Little Wood River Reservoir District.
Leo passed away Nov. 26, 2007, in Ketchum early in the morning surrounded by family. He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers Wayne and Lee, sisters Joan Peterson, Dorothy Whitby and Alice Vitale. He is survived by his wife, Marlene Peterson; four children, Bruce (Jonnie) Peterson, Gwen (Brent) Clifford, Mint (Heidi) Peterson, Erin (Jon) Knudsen; 17 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
We thank all the family and friends that have rallied around us in these final years. We could not possibly name all the people who have helped in so many ways. We love you all, and appreciate everything that has been done.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m., Friday, Nov. 30, 2007, at the Carey LDS Church. Interment will follow at the Carey Cemetery. Friends may call at the church one hour prior to services.
Arrangements are under the care of Wood River Chapel (www.woodriverchapel.com) of Hailey, Idaho.
