Monday, August 1, 2011

Former BHS Teacher Roland 'Pete' Peterson Passed Away Yesterday

Sending our deepest condolances with prayers to the Peterson family...



Hi Cathy.................

I wanted to let you know that my Dad passed away yesterday afternoon. He went peacefully to be with his Lord and to join my sweet Mom, his precious Kiva. He had been completely bedridden for several months and recently had trouble communicating with us although I know he loved seeing us when we would visit him every other day. I feel comfort knowing he was ready, so ready to leave this world and journey to that Other, Better Place.

I would so appreciate it if you could let our Burbank alumni contacts know of his passing----those special "kids" that my Dad loved so much over the years that he taught and coached at Burbank High.

We will be planning a memorial service and celebration of Dad's life to be held sometime in the fall and I will let you know the details when we get it organized in the event anyone would like to come.

Thank you so much, my dear friend....................

Love,
Linda


Back Row: Ray Turner (Tennis), Maurice Wiley (JV Football), Pete Peterson (B Basketball), Les Bruckner (Varsity Football), Roy Lockwood (Varsity Basketball). Front Row: Ray Trainer (Rifle Team), Bob Brewer (B Football), Don McMurry (Track & Cross Country), Richard "Dick" Minasian (Baseball & Athletic Director).



AUGUST 2, 2011 UPDATE

Received the following this morning from Alan Landros...

ROLAND "PETE" PETERSON

Home In Heaven - July 31, 2011

Mr. Roland "Pete" Peterson, much loved BHS teacher for decades, passed away on Sunday afternoon, July 31. He was 89. His 90th birthday would have been later this year. Mr. Peterson had been living in Thousand Oaks for the past two to three years, near his older daughter, Linda Peterson Everett. His health had continued to decline during that time.

Roland Peterson was born the end of 1921 to Emanuel and Elizabeth Peterson. Both of his parents were originally from Sweden. He was the fifth of six children, four older brothers, Harold, Arnold, Reinold, and Paul, and a younger sister, Ruth. All of them pre-decease Roland. His loving wife, Kiva, passed away on February 17, 2005, after nearly 60 years of marriage.

Roland and Kiva and their family moved into the Peterson Family home at Sixth St. and Walnut Ave. in Burbank in 1961. Roland's father, a building contractor, had built that home, which Roland had also grown up in. He lived there for about 47 years as an adult until moving to Thousand Oaks. Roland's "Pa", Emanuel Peterson, was the founder of Emanuel Evangelical Free Church in Burbank in 1941, located at Harvard Rd. and Fifth St. The family would walk to church each Sunday from their home at Sixth and Walnut. Many of the Peterson Family were still involved in that church until recent years.

Like three of his older brothers and his younger sister, Roland was a graduate of Burbank High School. He graduated in 1939. Then after college he returned to BHS as a teacher and coach, where he remained for over thirty years until his retirement. In the 1940's and 1950's besides teaching he was also a BHS football coach. Throughout all of his years at BHS he was a history teacher, loved and admired by countless of his students over the decades. His sense of humor always came through in his classes, too. Every year of his thirty plus years at BHS he was always one of the most loved, if not the most in some years, of the entire faculty. His students loved to be in his class.

Roland Peterson is survived by his children, Linda (BHS '67), Louanne (BHS '70), and Dan, four grandsons, a granddaughter, a great-grandson, son-in-law, Bob Everett, two sisters-in-law, Mary Peterson of Visalia and Virginia Peterson of San Marcos, and a number of nieces and nephews and their families.

The family is planning to have a Memorial Service sometime this Fall.

Alan Landros, BHS '70

AUGUST 3, 2011 UPDATE

Senior photo BHS Class '39



From Linda Mustion's website: http://bhsinmemoriam.blogspot.com/2011/08/roland-pete-peterson-bhs-1939.html


AUGUST 6, 2011 UPDATE

Cards and notes can be sent here:

Linda Everett
963 Ranch House Rd.
Westlake Village, CA 91361

Email: leverett963@yahoo.com

AUGUST 16, 2011 UPDATE

Received word today from Linda Peterson that Pete's Memorial Service will be on October 15, 2011.

Please read more here: http://bhsclass67.blogspot.com/2011/08/memorial-service-for-pete-peterson-oct.html


OCTOBER 27, 2011 UPDATE
From the Oct 13, 2011 Burbank Leader 

Roland "Pete" Peterson
1921-2011

Mr. Roland “Pete” Peterson, much loved Burbank High School teacher for decades, passed away on Sunday afternoon, July 31. He was 89 years old.

Pete was born in 1921 to Swedish immigrants. He was the fifth of Emmanuel and Elizabeth Peterson’s five boys and one girl. Pete was the last of these to pass on. Pete’s beloved wife, Kiva, passed away in 2005, after nearly 60 years of marriage.

Pete and his siblings largely grew up in Burbank, at the family home on the corner of Sixth Street and Walnut Ave. His father had built the family home as well as founding Emmanuel Church in Burbank.

Pete graduated from Burbank High School in 1939, went to college, then came back to BHS to coach tennis, football, basketball and teach history for the next 30 years. Pete’s great sense of humor and love of teaching came through and so over the decades he was much-beloved by thousands of students and colleagues.

In addition to teaching, Pete spent many summers as Camp Director for Viking Kids Club in Burbank, and the mountain Christian Camps at Tahquitz Pines and Forest Home. He loved to travel and took his family all over the United States and Europe. Pete loved sports and his passion was playing (and usually winning) paddleball.

Pete, Kiva and their family moved into the Peterson family home at Sixth Street and Walnut Ave in 1961. He lived there for about 47 years as an adult until moving to Thousand Oaks, near his daughter, Linda.

Pete is survived by his children, Linda, Louanne and Dan; son-in-law, Bob Everett; four grandsons, two granddaughters; and a great-grandson.

He was an inspiration to so many.

A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, October 15th at 11:00 AM at Emmanuel Church

10 comments:

  1. Farewell, Pete. You were my favorite teacher in my years at BHS, and thanks to your love of Civil War history - which was passed to me - I now live in the East. You will be missed! Wes Clark, BHS '74

    ReplyDelete
  2. A couple of comments...

    From Leigh Rugee Crossen, BHS '67:
    So sad to hear of Mr. Peterson's passing. I just loved him as my teacher and I feel for Linda and her family.

    From Pierre 'Pete' Beauregard, BHS '67:
    Now that is really sad. Talk about a great guy. We just called him "Pete". During my teaching days I followed suit and asked my students to call me "Pete".

    ReplyDelete
  3. Comment from Phil Young, BHS '65:

    He was special (very SPECIAL)... before I started my National Park Service career I was teaching high school social studies/history & coaching JV baseball in northern CA. (McKinleyville HS): I always thought he was a great role model... Phil

    ReplyDelete
  4. Comment from Dave Hourigan, BHS '67:

    Cathy

    What a remarkable man. He coached basketball, and I had the opportunity to play for him. He rarely lost his temper (an almost impossibility for a coach) and always looked for ways to coach becoming a man as well as becoming a basketball player. One of my favorite teachers and the father of one of my favorite people- Linda. Please pass my condolences to Linda, but what a wonderful man whose life we should celebrate and try to mirror.

    It is impossible to drive up Walnut without seeing the Peterson home and having a smile come to your lips when thinking about "Pete".

    Dave

    ReplyDelete
  5. Pete was truly a "great" man! I traversed up Walnut almost daily after high school as I lived there after my family moved into the Bruckner's home. Even after I was married, every time we passed Pete's house, I would tell my wife... "That's were Pete Peterson lives!" and she would smile and say "yes dear, I know." My sincere sympathy to Linda and the rest of her family. I am sure Pete is teaching the angels how to play sports with that grin on his face we all loved so much!

    Denny Lombard, BHS '67

    ReplyDelete
  6. R.I.P. Pete, You were my favorite teacher & coach. Pete coached me for two years in basketball & I really enjoyed his History class. I remember personally calling Pete & inviting him to our class reunion. He accepted & greatly added to our reunion experience. To his family, my sincere condolence. Pete was a great American & will be sorely missed.

    Fred Dahl, BHS '62

    ReplyDelete
  7. A few comments from Facebook...

    Ric Hebert ‎"The Role of Humor in American History" What a class!! I still have his book "It's a Joke, Son"
    16 hours ago · Like · 2 people.


    Art Boylan Great history teacher, one of my favorite classes at BHS.
    16 hours ago · Like · 3 people.

    Leslie Brogan- Rink He was a good teacher! He made History fun!I remember running by his house for track on Walnut!
    14 hours ago · Like · 1 person.

    Wesley H. Clark I recall during one of his Civil War lessons he drew a chalkboard map of Virginia. The Potomac and the Rappahannock and the rest turned out to be a horse's head... it was really funny. Pete was one of those teachers who do enormous credit to the profession - a teacher's teacher.
    10 hours ago · Like · 1 person.

    Karen Lessley Ingersoll Every Friday he drew Droodles on the chalkboard...became a history major in college because of him!
    9 hours ago · Like · 1 person.

    Wesley H. Clark I forgot about the Droodles!
    7 hours ago · Like.

    Barbara Zelenay One of my favorites!!!!
    7 hours ago · Like.

    Susan Garcia Parks RIP... great teacher!!
    7 hours ago · Like.

    Carolyn Purser Loved him! He made history so interesting and he had a great sense of humor. RIP Mr. P.
    5 hours ago · Like.

    Dani Marie Kleist ‎1965 was a long time ago, but I love how he made history so interesting.
    4 hours ago · Like.

    Starr Johnson I remember him at BHS and church, wonderful man R.I.P. Mr. P God Bless you'r family:)
    3 hours ago · Like.

    Bettie Bieger Jordan He taught me how to drive and I wrecked his drivers ed car!!! Despite that, he always had us drive by the historic places. A real character. Made sitting in back a little more intereesting.RIP Mr P
    2 hours ago · Like.

    Barbara Fanderlik Adams Yes Mr. 'Pete' was a keeper. For a girl who hated school he and Mr. Hall made a big impact on my life.
    2 hours ago · Like

    ReplyDelete
  8. MORE Facebook comments...

    Bill Prinz best History teacher I had at BHS. Great memories of his sense of humor.
    Wednesday at 8:13pm · Like.

    Mary Kieffer I remember when we reached the WWII era in history, our class sat riveted to his story of emancipating a concentration camp in Europe, tears streaming down our faces. No one moved even when the lunch bell rang. God bless you, Mr. Peterson.
    Wednesday at 9:34pm · Like · 1 person.

    Keith Stone Didn't he publish a book called "That's A Joke, Son"?
    20 hours ago · Like.

    Bill Prinz Keith: yeah, he collected jokes and published them. I remember reading it.
    10 hours ago · Like.

    Deborah Lamas Miller
    Sorry to hear he is gone, he was one of my favorite teachers. He loved to tell stories. Some days if you proded him enough, you could get him to spend the entire class telling stories. Some thought they had him wired and could convenience him to do it alot, but he was smarter than us all, as most of those stories had history lessons in them and we just didn't know it. I will spend the day thinking of all the good things about him, in his memory.
    8 hours ago · Like · 1 person.

    Toni Wyatt Rest in Peace. Mr. Peterson taught driver's Ed. for a while. He taught me how to drive. We'd all drive up to Griffith Park and around Burbank. He was a nice person
    2 hours ago · Like

    ReplyDelete
  9. Definitely one of my best teachers, history, of course. But what I will never forget was being invited to square off against Mr. Peterson in paddle ball against a wall at Emanuel church. I figured it would be piece of cake to give this teacher of mine the run-around, but did he ever show me the way around the court. And yet he was humble and matter-of-fact about the results, so I respected him even more. (Jim Au, BHS'77)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Danny PetersonNovember 7, 2020 at 5:39 PM
    Love and miss you and mom so much,so glad you raised me to know and love Jesus Christ our savior. It's great to know your both in heaven.

    ReplyDelete