ENID — Funeral for Mr. Francis “Pete” Peterson, 97, of Enid, will be 10 a.m. Monday, February 4, 2013, in Golden Oaks Chapel. Susan Southall will officiate. Private burial will be before in Memorial Park Cemetery under direction of Brown-Cummings Funeral Home.

After an amazing 97 years of life, our Lord welcomed Francis D. (Pete) Peterson January 31, 2013.

He was born December 25, 1915, in Beaumont, Texas, to Albin and Mabel Matilda Nelson Peterson and passed away January 31, 2013.

He graduated from Toulon High School, Toulon, Illinois, in 1933. In 1941, he entered the Army and trained at Fort Warren, Wyoming. He was selected to go to officer candidate school in Camp Lee, Virginia. Upon graduation as a second lieutenant, he was assigned as a graves registration officer and assigned to Camp Swift, Texas, for training.

In January 1943, he married Mae Beth Thompson in Austin, Texas.

In April, he went overseas with his unit – which established the first American World War II cemetery in Europe with the invasion of Sicily. He was in Europe 21⁄2 years and was awarded the Legion of Merit. He also received a letter of commendation signed by General G.S. Patton. Upon discharge from the Army, he attended the University of Texas at Austin and received a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering. He was elected to two honorary fraternities and graduated in 1950.

His work career consisted of working for IBM as a customer engineer in Austin, 1950-1960, and then as manager of data processing at Champlin Petroleum in Enid, OK, from 1960-1978, when he retired and he and his wife moved to Plano, Texas.

In retirement, he worked part-time as a technical assistant at EPA in Dallas, 1988-1991. In 1993, he and his wife moved back to Enid.

He was selected to appear in the 1975-76 and 1977 edition of Who’s Who in the South and Southwest. As a First Methodist Church member, he was chairman of the administrative board in 1971, trustee in 1972-1974 and chairman of the finance committee in 1973-1975. His volunteer work was with Enid United Fund 1965-73 and through computer assistance to Leonardo’s Adventure Quest in the mid-1990s. He was a member of Enid Noon Lions Club, 1967-71 and again in 2001.

Pete was a beloved, faithful husband for Beth, and he loved his three daughters and the men they married. Pete enjoyed woodworking as a hobby, and his great-grandchildren have chair and table sets that he made. His legacy to his family is the faith that he lived out on a daily basis.

The family would like to thank the doctors, nurses, Hospice Circle of Love, and the staff at Golden Oaks for their love and care for Dad.

He is survived by, three daughters, Betsy and husband Dr. James Mabry (Enid), Judy and husband Bill Gregory (Enid), Jill and husband Dick Lyons (Atlanta, GA); grandchildren, Jarrod Gregory and wife Becky (Las Vegas, NV), Bree Gregory (Moore, OK), Megan Butler and husband Cory (Austin, TX), Paige DeLeon and husband Steve (Austin, TX), Brooke Harrison and husband J.T. (Norman, OK), John Mabry and Wife Britni (Tulsa, OK), Carly, Chris and Morgan Lyons (Atlanta, GA); and six great-grandchildren.

He was preceded by his wife, Mae Beth.

Memorials may be given in his name to Youth and Family Services and Hospice Circle of Love, with Brown-Cummings serving as custodian of the funds. Condolences may be made at Brown-Cummings.com.

(Submitted by family)