Obituary

Merlin Edward "Pete" Peterson, 89, passed away on October 22, 2024, in West Des Moines, Iowa. Born on May 30, 1935, in Jones Township, Minnesota, Pete was a man of formidable work ethic and a kind heart, renowned for his ornery sense of humor and high expectations on construction sites. He claimed to be from the “land of the Might-People”, because depending on which way the wind blew, he might be Minnesotan, or he might be Canadian.

In 1949, Pete sent out on an adventure and hitchhiked by himself to Iowa where he moved into the home of his sister Bernadine Daleski near Eldora, Iowa. While living with her he graduated from Owasso High school. A proud veteran, Pete served in the US Marine Corps as a PFC in an engineering unit in San Diego during the Korean War.

In December 1959, Pete married Shirley Mae Richmond, and they stayed happily married for over 60 years, until her death in 2018. They never fought or argued, but Pete did mention that they had a lot of “discussions” to work out disagreements. Together, they raised four children (Janelle, Merlin (Mert), Joni, and Melissa). He was very proud of his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, and attended many of their competitions, celebrations, and practices over the years.

Pete's career in construction began in 1959 at Dusenberg Concrete and flourished in 1967 when he founded M. Peterson Construction in Des Moines. His entrepreneurial spirit led him to establish several successful companies including A-1 Ready Mix, ACE Concrete, Pre-Mix Concrete, Delaware Pumping, and Delaware Construction. His contributions to the industry were recognized with numerous awards from the Iowa Department of Transportation. As one of the giants of the paving industry, he built some of the busiest streets and thoroughfares in the Des Moines Metro area. Highlights of his accomplishments include paving the US Highway 6 Bypass, US Highway 5 Bypass, Hickman Road, Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, and 86th Street. His companies won the National Award for Excellence for the Outstanding Design and Construction of the Highway 6 Bypass, four Iowa DOT Awards of Excellence for various projects, two Excellence in Concrete Awards from the Iowa Ready Mix Concrete Association, and many other accolades and awards for the excellent work his companies were known for. A no-nonsense businessman and a proud construction worker at heart, he was notorious for his disgust with tie-wearing salesmen, and would often cut off the offending necktie and display them as trophies in his office. In 2004, Pete retired, and sold all of his businesses to Old Castle of Ireland. He was offered an opportunity to stay on as an employee, but that lasted less than a week because no one could take the boss out of his blood.

His decades of commitment to the community was evident in his support for children's causes, from local sports leagues to Big Brothers, and his annual contributions to the Shrine, including distributing circus tickets to families. His donations and support enriched the lives of hundreds of youth in the metro area over the years, and he was proud to watch as those youngsters grew and flourished. He also sponsored several children with severe birth defects at the Shriner’s Hospital, helping to pay for the medical care to save lives and families.

Pete always displayed a vibrant enthusiasm for enjoying life. In his younger years, he spent many Friday and Saturday evenings dancing to country music and polkas, impressing all the ladies with his dancing abilities. Less than a week before he passed, he was seen dancing with several women at his retirement community, claiming that those “widow women” were after him for a date. Pete would talk to everyone, and enjoyed sharing his stories of life with anyone who listened. During his working years, he liked a PBR or bourbon press while watching professional wrestling (rasslin’), and when celebrating any joyous occasion, he was known to toast with a Crown Royal.

Pete entered into the South Gate Shrine Lodge #657 in April, 1969, and was raised to active membership in January, 1970. He was an active member during his decades of membership, was awarded his 50 year membership certificate in 2020, and continued to support Masonry and the Shrine until his passing. He was a founding member of the Za-Ga-Zig Shrine Sandrunners dune buggy unit. As a member of the Sandrunners he enjoyed driving in parades around the state, including the Iowa State Fair Parade. He was known for speed in his dune buggy, and proudly displayed the plate “SAND1” for being the fastest driver every year. Additionally, he sponsored numerous children at the Shrine hospital in Minneapolis. His need for speed carried over into his love of NASCAR. He enjoyed going with his friends to races around the country and their adventures at NASCAR driving school, where he once got flagged for driving around the oval too quickly (for a nonprofessional driver).

He very much enjoyed spending Sunday mornings with friends and colleagues at Prairie Meadows. These weekly “church” sessions involved business and social talk, along with breakfast. The breakfast club changed location throughout the years but most recently met every Saturday at the Machine Shed restaurant where the stories between them continued. At the casinos, both Prairie Meadows and in Vegas, Pete was very lucky at the slot machines. He would often drop quarters in to random machines as he walked the floor, many times winning more than the $20 he brought for the slots. He was known to come home and say that the days he made money, the Lord giveth and the days that he lost, the Lord taketh.

Pete, along with his wife Shirley, was a passionate traveler, often exploring the country in his motorhome, and spending winters in Mesa, Arizona. Together, they vacationed in Florida, Texas, Mexico, and Canada, as well as family trips to Europe and Alaska.

He is survived by his daughters, Janelle Boozell (Larry) of Milo, Joni Osmundson (Jerry) of Polk City, and Melissa Lunney (Chuck) of Olathe, KS; grandchildren Loren Boozell, Ryan Boozell, Darrell Peterson, Jon Peterson, Brandon Peterson, Amber Peterson, Marty Osmundson, Abbi Rohring, MacKenzie D’Aubin, Caleb Lunney, and Cael Lunney; and 17 great-grandchildren. His brother Robert Peterson of Urbandale, Harlan (Johnny) Peterson of Pinewood, MN, and sister Patty Nielson of Chippewa Falls, WI. Pete was preceded in death by his parents, Eddie and Jessie Peterson; his wife, Shirley Richmond Peterson, his son, Merlin "Mert" Eugene Peterson, and 7 siblings.

Contributions in memory of Pete can be made to the Shrine Hospital for Children (https://www.shrinerschildrens.org/). His legacy of diligence, humor, and generosity will be remembered by all who knew him.

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