John David Peterson was born November 22, 1949, to Sture Alfred and Roberta Francis (Huston) Peterson, in Salisbury, Maryland.  He grew up on a farm outside Willards, Maryland.

John attended Pittsville High School, and two years of Electronics in Georgetown, Delaware.

On October 27, 1973, he was united in marriage to Carol Barr, that he described as the love of his life, in Redfield, Iowa. John joined the U.S. Army, started his career as a cook and worked his way up to a General's Aide. He went on to work for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as an Environmental Protection Specialist before retiring in 2005.  John and Carol moved from Omaha to Pella in 2014.

John was an outdoorsman who loved nature and caring for nature. He enjoyed deer hunting, astronomy, and staying active. He also enjoyed travelling to new places and taking motorcycle trips.

John is survived by his wife Carol, and his nieces: Jennifer and Mark Cording and their children Gunner and Ava, and Susan and Helmut Schmid, along with many other extended family members.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Carl G. Peterson.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Iowa National Heritage Foundation.

Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation
Des Moines IA