Wayne L. Peterson

Wayne L. Peterson, 86, of Meridian passed away Sunday morning Sept. 10, 2006, surrounded by family. It was a peaceful passing after a two year battle with lung complications. Wayne was the first child born to L.G. and Verda Peterson on Sept. 5, 1920, in Idaho Falls, Idaho. He started school at Emerson Grade School in Idaho Falls. His father was an automobile dealer, however that winter he sold his business there and moved the family to Boise, Idaho where his father became an automobile distributor for Durant and Star cars. This dealership was the humble beginnings of what is now known as the Peterson Motor Autoplex. Wayne attended grade school in Boise at Roosevelt and Whitier schools. He graduated from Boise High School in 1939, playing baseball and football. Wayne continued with his education at the University of Idaho for one year and then attended Brigham Young University for three years and graduated in 1943. Wayne received his Bachelor of Science Degree majoring in Accounting with a minor in Finance and Economics. He then served his country in the Marine Corp during World War II. Wayne married his college sweetheart Lois Christensen from Salem, Utah on April 29, 1943 in the Salt Lake City Temple. In the fall of 1945, Wayne went into the automobile business starting Gem State Motors. He took on the distributorship for the Willys Jeep. This was the first Jeep distributorship in Idaho, which reached into eastern Oregon and northern Nevada. Through his career he had many automobile lines which included Kaiser, Studebaker, Packard, Lincoln Mercury, Datsun (Nissan), Saab and Mercedes. He retired in 1973 from the automobile business and continued working with his land development company. During the early 1970s Wayne considered it an honor to act as a Volunteer Deputy in the Ada County Sheriffs Department: Narcotics Division. He was also a member of the American Legion and Kiwanis Club. Wayne also enjoyed being actively involved in the Boy Scouts of America program. Wayne held many positions in the LDS Church, mostly executive callings. He was involved in church volleyball for many years. He was selected as a member of the All Church Volleyball team and coached volleyball for many years. Other hobbies were golf, hunting, fishing, skiing, making gun stocks and hand loading ammunition, boating and building, engineering and flying radio controlled airplanes. Wayne was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and uncle. He always found time to share the love of his hobbies, and was very quick to help others, which was one of his selfless qualities. Wayne was preceded in death by his parents, L.G. Peterson and Verda (Longhurst); and his infant brother Vern. He is survived by his loving wife Lois (Christensen) Peterson; two daughters and one son, June and (Steve) Clyne of Meridian, Randy and (Diane) Peterson of Meridian, and Kathy Peterson of Boise; brother, Marvin and (Jean) Peterson of Meridian; and sister, Ann and (Sam) Thompson of Meridian. Wayne had six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. A viewing will be held on Thursday Sept. 14 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Relyea Funeral Chapel, 318 N. Latah Boise, Idaho. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 15th at the LDS. church, 5555 N. Locust Grove, Meridian. A viewing will also be held at the church on Friday morning at 10:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. prior to the service. Interment will follow at Cloverdale Cemetery. Services are under the direction of Relyea Funeral Chapel.