Duane Peterson was born Jan. 3, 1930 to Adolph and Minnie Peterson. Duane had two siblings: Ardis and Muriel. Duane recalls how his older sister, Ardis, walked almost three miles from their home to Co. Rd. 11 to catch the bus to attend high school in Becker, even in the brutal Minnesota winters.

He grew up on a farm near Kragero one room school in Santiago township until their home was sold. Duane’s family were among many who needed to give up their farms so Sherburne National Wildflife Refuge (30,700 acres) could be established in the mid 1960’s.

Duane’s mother passed away when he was 12. Duane lived with family friends Wesley Bowles and Bernard Nelson temporarily.

Duane has attended church in Orrock most of his life. Many local residents had no choice but to move away when their homes were sold due to the formation of the Sherburne National Wildilfe Refuge, which meant there were no longer enough parishioners to support the two churches in Orrock and it was decided it was necessary to combine the two churches.

Residents struggled to decide which of the two churches should close. In 1966, lightning struck one church and it burned down. A tornado in July of 1967 destroyed the other church.

They decided to rebuild just one church and that was Hope Lutheran in Orrock. Duane still attends there.

Duane graduated from Becker in 1947. One of his friends encouraged Duane to enlist in the U.S. Army in Minneapolis, which he did. Duane said: “My friend never did enlist.”

Duane served 4 years in the Army (1948 through 1952) . He was stationed in Washington State and France.

Duane married Dorothy Lemmon at Central Lutheran Church in Elk River May 9, 1953. The couple raised three boys - Allen, Larry and Joe.

Duane worked at Minneapolis Electric Steel for 11 years and my father and he carpooled since my dad worked at Farmer’s Union Grain Elevator in Minneapolis.

Duane worked at the Imperial gas station in Big Lake and also at AME Monticello (1978 to 1995).

Duane has lived east of Becker since 1970. Duane shared: “The banker asked if I wanted to take out a loan to finance the house. I told him no because I wanted to own the house, not the bank. We paid for the house as we could, over a number of years. We lived in a modified shed house for many years until we finished building the house.”

Dorothy passed away in 2011.

Several of my older sisters joined me when I went to interview Duane. My siblings (Judy, Karen, Gloria, Roger and Russell), attended Kragero school with the Peterson boys and formed a friendship. We also shared common friend and former Kragero teacher, Florence Lundsten.

My older sisters recalled when both Duane and Bernell Watkins stopped at Kragero one-room school Nov. 22, 1963 to deliver the fateful news to teacher Opal Peterson and the students that U.S. president John F. Kennedy was assassinated.

Duane served two terms on the Kragero one room school board with my mom and she always considered him an ally.

My parents considered Duane and Dorothy and their family wonderful neighbors and true friends. When times got hard, Duane and Dorothy were the kind of people who could always be counted on. They have always been extremely hard working, salt of the earth kind of people we feel blessed to know.

I find the older generation, such as Duane, do not stress nearly as much as younger folks. Although he has endured his share of hardship, Duane has always seemed to remain calm. I find that so refreshing.

Ruth Chavez (my sister), shared these thoughts about Duane: “I have always been impressed by Duane’s slow and steady countenance and his wisdom. He is always quiet, with an infectious smile and a joy to be around. His memory is outstanding!”

My Uncle Wally told me I should ask Duane about the time he got a stone stuck up his nose as a young boy in the 1930’s. Duane had this to say about the episode: “We piled in the Model T at my mother’s sisters house north of Orrock to go to the doctor. Somewhere near Big Lake, the steering wheel came off and the car tipped over. The adults in the car were treated for their injuries before the doctor removed the stone from my nose.

Duane turned 90 in January and he still helps in the farming operation with his son, Allen. Duane still raises beef cattle and crops (corn, soybeans and alfalfa). Duane raises an impressive sweet corn crop every year.

When Duane isn’t riding around on his 4 wheeler inspecting fences and the cattle, he enjoys spending time with his family. He has 4 grandhcildren and 6 great grandchildren.