Gary L. Peterson

We celebrate the life of Gary Lee Peterson, the first child born to Guy and Evelyn (Eastin) Peterson on August 27, 1938 in Wray, Colorado. After battling a short illness, he departed this life on Saturday, June 6th 2015.

He grew up in the Vernon community with two younger brothers and two younger sisters. He attended Champion Valley School through the 8th grade and graduated from Vernon High School in the class of 1956. Gary was quite an athlete; playing 6 man football, basketball and his favorite sport, baseball. He tried out to play with the Denver Bears minor league baseball team in 1956 and joined the US Navy shortly after. He enlisted on “the buddy system”, completed boot camp in San Diego, CA, and then served on the USS Boxer air craft carrier as a radar-man. With the Navy, he traveled the world, seeing Japan, China, Haiti and crossed the equator into all four hemispheres. He was honorably discharged in 1959.

Gary married his high school sweetheart, Alberta Eastin on December 14, 1957 in Wray at St. Andrew’s Catholic Church. From this union came seven children: Cindi, Tammy, Mitch, Mike, Matt, Chass, and Marc. After returning from the Navy, Gary went to work for 7-UP Bottling Co. in Ft. Morgan, CO. He then moved his family to Sterling when he went to work for Meadow Gold Milk and later transferred with Meadow Gold to the Yuma area. When he wasn’t being the “milk-man”, Gary was on the ball field playing with his home team, Baucke Electric. Later playing in Wray, with the “Ole Timers”; playing against the younger generation and as their pitcher the “Ole Timers” won the tournament. In 1970 his family moved back to Wray as part owner and manager of Wray Super Market until 1991. With a couple of other good ole boys, Gary opened and operated Wray Meat Packing, later selling the business to his sons, Mike & Marc.

Hunting, fishing, golf and ballgames fueled his love of adventure and of the outdoors. He made several fishing trips to Canada, making a goal of taking all of his sons, son-in-laws, and grandsons with him. He knew that one day he would “catch the big one”. That dream came true for him when he traveled to Cancun and caught a sail fish. (Even though the cost to mount and ship “the big one” home was more than the cost of the entire trip). Gary was an avid Dallas Cowboys & Colorado Rockies fan to his core. In the earlier years, he and Boots would travel to AZ to watch the Rockies’ spring training. When the Rockies moved from Tucson, he decided he would coach the team from his chair in the garage. He would yell at the managers, tell them who to put in and who to send down usually saying, “Get me a direct line to the dug-out!”

If you didn’t see Gary coaching the Rockies in his garage, you would find him playing cards. He ALWAYS carried a deck of cards with him-just in case. You could find him playing solitaire, cheating Gramie at cribbage, or beating the boys at the plant. He loved side betting, a quarter a game and a dime a set. You knew you were up for a challenge when playing against Grandad. His grandson Eli said it best, “- that twinkle in his eye and that grin when you are heads up against him playing 10 point and he knows exactly what cards you have in your hand and he knows you are set before you do!” Every grandchild can tell a story of what Grandad let them do-instructing them that “it’s our secret-don’t tell Gramie.”

Throughout his life, Gary was a member of the Wray Elks Club, a Deacon in the Catholic Church and a member and retired Chief of Wray Vol. Fire Dept.

Gary was the most wonderful husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, uncle and friend. He left this world to begin a new journey with our Heavenly Father. He will be missed by all who were fortunate enough to have been in his life.

He leaves behind, his wife of 57 years, Alberta (Boots), Five Children: Cindi & husband Ed Grauberger, Tammy Neuhaus, Mitch & wife Michelle Peterson, Mike Peterson, Marc & wife Tina Peterson. Eleven Grandchildren: Justin & wife Sarah Peterson, Eli Grauberger, Tycie & husband Jayden Drager, Kole & wife Diane Peterson, Kiel & Michaela Neuhaus, Jalen, Maty & Karissa Peterson, Ryce & Rydge Peterson. Six Great-Grandchildren: Jorja, Jayda & Jemma Drager, Dax & Sophia Peterson and Annabelle Peterson. Brother: John & wife Sue, Sisters: Carol & husband Bob Earl, Jody & husband Tim Wisdom, close friend & brother-in-law Dwaine & wife Lucy Eastin, numerous nephews, nieces and close friends.

Preceding Gary in death were his parents, Guy and Evelyn and brother Dick, twins, Gregory Matthew & Chassity Lynn, Father-in-law & mother-in-law, George Eastin & Tillie (Eastin) Andrews.

A receiving of family & friends will be held following a rosary service on Wednesday, June 10th at the Schmidt-Jones Funeral Home from 6-8 P.M.

Services will be held Thursday, June 11th at 10:00 am at St. Andrew’s Catholic Church in Wray.

Interment at Glendale Cemetery in Vernon will follow the services.

Memorial contributions in Gary’s name may be made to:

Wray Vol. Fire Dept., P.O. Box 492, Wray, Colorado 80758 - Hospice of the Plains, P.O. Box 365, Wray, CO 80758

Schmidt - Jones Funeral Home in Wray, Colorado is in charge of arrangements.