Mahlon Peterson

TORRINGTON, WYOMING...........Memorial services for MAHLON NESTANDE PETERSON 77, will be held at 2pm Thursday, April 2, 2009 at the United Methodist Church with Reverend Curtis Hill officiating. Mahlon died at Community Hospital on March 30, 2009 and cremation has taken place. Military rites will be performed following the service at the church. Memorials may be directed to the ALS Foundation or Wyoming State 4-H Foundation. Arrangements are under the direction of the Colyer Funeral Home and friends may send condolences to the family at www.colyerfuneralhome.com. Mahlon was born on November 14, 1931 in Harrison, Nebraska the son of Harold and Bessie (McKelvey) Peterson. He grew up and attended school at Prairie Center for 10 years and then graduated from Torrington High School in 1949. He went on to serve in the U.S. Army from 1952 to 1954 in the Korean Conflict. Following his discharge, he married his sweetheart, Donna Paisley on January 9, 1955. To this union three children were born: Eric, Clay, and Kathryn. Mahlon worked four years on road construction before purchasing and moving to the farm west of Torrington in 1959 where he lived until his death. Mahlon was devoted to youth. He spent 25 years as a 4-H leader, coached county and state champion wool and meat judging teams and champeroned the 4-H Club Congress in 1974. Donna and Mahlon attended many Western Regional 4-H Leaders Forums, gaining friendships across the west. He served on the first Wyoming State Fair Advisory Board and the Wyoming State 4-H Foundation,was a founding director ot the Goshen County 4-H Foundation and was selected to go to Washington D.C. to represent Wyoming 4-H as a "Salute to Excellence" delegate. He was also honored as a distinguished 4-H alumni at both county and state levels. Also active in the agricultural community, Mahlon was a Region 801 Director to the PCA of the Midlands, a Farm Bureau Member, and he actively engaged in the community's "Gleaners Union"; serving as an officer and a 50 year member. As a member of the United Methodist Church, he served as a youth leader and was a member of the Board of Trustees. Mahlon is survived by his wife, Donna; his children Eric (Adrianne) of Pinedale, Wyoming; Clay (Valerie) of Torrington; and Kathryn (Keri Votruba) of Hemingford, Nebraska; his sister Phyllis Hoy of Scottsbluff, Nebraska; six grandchildren: Lloyd (Micki) Votruba of Hemingford; Mae Lynn (Dustin) Smith of Fort Collins, CO; Tandy Peterson of Pinedale; and Andy, Clay Walker, and Kelly John Peterson all of Torrington. He was preceded in death by his parents and an infant sister.

Mahlon Peterson

November 14, 1931 - March 30, 2009