Services
Obituary
On Thursday, March 19, 2026, Dennis Peterson entered his eternal home surrounded by his family on the farm.
Memorial services will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, March 28, 2026 at Missionary Alliance Church, 501 3rd Street in Blairsburg. Private family burial will be held at Fairview Cemetery in Dows.
Dennis Lee Peterson was born on the family farm south of Dows on June 17, 1935 to Guy and Gladys (McGowan) Peterson. He grew up with his three sisters: Jessie (Vogel), Donna (Barz), and Shirley (Bruner). He attended Vernon No. 5 Country School through 8th grade and graduated from Dows High School in 1953.
Dennis started as a young boy helping on the farm. He became an official farmer in 1949, renting 40 acres from his father as a FFA project. After high school, Dennis majored in Farm Operations for two years at Iowa State University in Ames.
Dennis married Thora Greenfield on June 22, 1956. She was a farm girl from Kamrar, who had come to teach school in Dows. They were a very good match. Dennis and Thora worked alongside his dad on the farm in their early married days, then took over the farming operation when Guy retired. His hard work and diligence were very evident in his beautiful farmstead.
Dennis' love for farming was overshadowed by his love for the Creator and His church. He was an active member of Missionary Alliance Church in Blairsburg for almost seventy years. He served on the board and was an elder for many years. Dennis and Thora were youth sponsors and they also worked in the AWANA children's club. The church was a very important part of his life.
Dennis was a gifted woodworker. His children and grandchildren all have treasured pieces given to them stamped with "Hand Made By Dennis Peterson."
Dennis enjoyed traveling. The family took frequent summer trips in their camper and for many years, spent a week in August at the Okoboji Lakes Bible Conference. They also took several overseas trips. As empty nesters, Dennis and Thora bought a fifth wheel trailer, traveling often, both for leisure and to service projects.
The couple retired from active farming in 2003. Dennis continued to farm part-time for the next ten years, planting and harvesting with his brother-in-law Lyle Greenfield and son-in-law Doug Frye.
Dennis is survived by his four children JoLee (Tim) Bubna, Rohn (Karen) Peterson, Kristi (Bob) Hinkle, and Anita (Doug) Frye; 10 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; and his faithful right-hand-man Mike Pals.
Memorials will be given to the Janna Greenfield and Timothy Greenfield Memorial Missions Project Fund.