Gilman Peterson

Funeral services for Gilman Peterson of Dickinson, formerly of New England, will be 1:00 pm Friday, September 12th at St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church, Dickinson with the Rev. Steven Tangen and the Rev. Roger Dieterle officiating. Interment will be at Flagstaff Farms Cemetery, on the family farm near New England. Visitation will be 12 p. m. to 9 p. m. , Thursday, September 11, 2008 at Stevenson Funeral Home, Dickinson with a prayer service at 7 p. m. Visitation continues 8 a. m. to 11 a. m. , Friday, September 12, 2008 at Stevenson Funeral Home. Gilman passed away Saturday, September 6, 2008 at St. Joseph?s Hospital and Health Center in Dickinson. Gilman F. Peterson was born on April 14, 1913, in the Daglum Community, rural New England, ND to Halvor and Emma (Hoff) Peterson. He attended Fisher District School and Hempell Diesel School, Chicago. Gilman worked on the family farm with his father and his three brothers, Roman, Noble and Stewart. This farm had been homesteaded in 1906 by his father, Halvor, and his brothers, Hans and Ole Pettersen when they came from Vik i Sogn, Norway. Gilman married Beatrice Olson of Belfield in 1937. In the ?Dirty Thirties? he tried his hand at something other than farming, when he worked at a gold mine in Murray, Idaho. Gilman later returned to his roots and he and Bea lived on the original 1906 homestead south of Daglum. When he and his father realized the future of farming lay in diesel tractors he went to Chicago to study diesel systems. He started farming with his father, and as land became available he added to the farm and purchased the original farm from his brothers when his father passed away in 1956. He named this farm ?Flagstaff Farms?, the plural in ?Farms? was chosen to represent the nine homesteaders who originally lived on the property, which Gilman wanted to recognize because he felt he could not have accomplished what he had without their hard work. He and Beatrice raised five daughters; Nancy, Diane, Sonia, Vicki and Debra and often referred to his home as the ?Girl?s Ranch? in early days. He and Bea upgraded their operation by growing wheat and other small grains and raising Hereford cattle. He loved to see them grazing in the summer with their deep chestnut coats and white faces. There were many years of hard work and sometimes not so profitable years. The farm grew over the years to about 3,000 acres. Gilman was always in the forefront of new farming practices such as purchasing shoe drills to plant winter wheat and some of the newest ways of tilling the soil and preserving it. He won awards from the Soil Conservation District for his planning and implementation of proper waterways and channeling it through the land. He planted tree belts as had his father before him and was always aware of ways to improve the land, of which he considered himself a steward. In the 1990?s he leased the farming operation to Doug Tarpo, who purchased Emma and Halvor?s homestead. Gilman always felt a community obligation to participate and strengthen local and statewide farm and ranch organizations and support the people who make up the community He did not just tend to his ?Garden? as he called it, but he also served on many civic and local government boards. He was a Simpson Township Supervisor, on the Simpson Township Board of Directors, a Stark County F. H. A. Supervisor, on the North Dakota F. H. A. Committee, a Past Member of the Rural Chamber of Commerce, served in the North Dakota State Legislator in 1960-62, member of the North Dakota Stockman?s Association for 55 years, a ND Soil Conversation Stark County Supervisor for 34 years, Daglum Lutheran Church President, a member of El Zagel Shrine, Elk?s Lodge #1137, an American State Bank Director (where he was a charter member), Badlands Ministries Board, New England School Board Director, and numerous other boards. He was also a member of the Sons of Norway and an honored member and trustee of the ND Hall of Fame and a member of the National Cowboy Hall of Fame. Gilman had a deep faith and was very involved in his church and the Badlands Ministries Bible Camp. He loved to sing and hear the old hymns. Gilman was also a lifelong Democrat. He strongly believed in personal political involvement and served on many county, state and national committees. He married Monica Urlacher on February 8, 1985 in Tucson, Ariz. He and Monica enjoyed keeping the yard beautiful and volunteering. Monica was a loving wife of 23 years, to whom we are all truly thankful for her loving care of Dad. They continued to live on the farm during the summer months and in Dickinson in the winters until recently retiring to Dickinson. His daughter Debbie and her husband Eric will now be the caretakers of Gilman?s farm which was the original homestead. Gilman loved to restore old tractors, having restored twelve John Deere tractors from his father?s original ?B? John Deere and many others. He used to line them up on the hill below the original homestead house that his father and his brothers built in 1906. Gilman especially loved being on the farm, the company of good friends and being with his family. He loved to talk politics with his daughters, sons in law and grandchildren. He was an avid reader and studied the farming trends and the national political scene with keen interest up to his last days. His quick wit and laughter will be sorely missed by all who knew him. Gilman Peterson is survived by: his wife, Monica, Dickinson; five daughters, Nancy Dean, Austin, TX; Diane Edwards, Fort Collins, CO; Sonia Brosz, Sacramento, CA; Lt. Col. Vicki Stone, Naples, Italy; and Debra Mundt, Newbury Park, CA; grandchildren, Rob Dean, Kristi Dean Wicks, Betsy Dean Maclennan, Liesl Edwards Hargrave, Brion Edwards, Jeff Stevenson and Katrina and Nicholas Mundt; great grandchildren, Emma Wicks, Faith Edwards, Lillian Hargrave, Kelson Stevenson, Conner and Hunter Maclennan. He is survived by his brothers, Roman Peterson of Almont, ND, and Noble Peterson of Lemmon, SD as well as many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by both of his parents; and his brother, Stewart Peterson and sister-in-laws Virginia, Lillian, and Betty and son-in-law Robert Dean. Gilman always believed in supporting our youth and would prefer that memorials are given to the Badland?s Ministries, Box 305, Medora, ND 58645; Home on the Range, HC 1 Box 41 Sentinel Butte, ND 58654, or Anne Carlson Center for Children, 301 7th Ave. NW, Jamestown, ND 58401-2971.


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Burial Date: September 12, 2008
Funeral Home Dickinson, ND

Funeral Services: Friday, St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church, Dickinson, ND