Clair E. Peterson

Clair Eugene Peterson was born on October 26, 1933, to Leigh and Ida (Bordalen) Peterson, on a farm north of Hawley, MN. He was the youngest of six children in the family. He was baptized in the Salem Lutheran Church at Hitterdal, MN; and was confirmed in the Hawley Lutheran Church at Hawley, MN.

Clair married Ardith "Ardy" Hansen from Hitterdal on January 24, 1953, at Hawley, MN. She joined him at his Naval Air Station base near Jacksonville, FL. Their twins, Chad and Connie were born in January of 1954, in Florida. After receiving his honorable discharge, they returned to MN, where their son, Charles, was born in March of 1955.

Clair spent much of his life in education. He started school in a one-room school house two miles from his home. After the second year he transferred to the school in Hitterdal, MN, where he graduated in 1951. Upon graduation, he entered the U.S. Navy and served during the Korean War. In the fall of 1955 he started college at M.S.T.C. (later to become MSUM) in Moorhead, MN. He graduated with a BS degree in 1958, and a Master's degree in 1967; and, he continued his education elsewhere in a doctoral program. He taught in the Dilworth, Bellingham, Bagley (where their daughter, Candace was born in October of 1962), and Moorhead, MN, schools. He retired in 1993, after spending his last 30 years on Staff in the Moorhead Schools. He truly loved teaching; and he loved all of his students. During his career, Clair held many leadership roles and served on many educational committees, and boards at the local, regional, State, and National levels. He was President of the MSUM Alumni Board (1971), and was honored in 2014 when the MSUM Alumni Foundation designated him Director Emeritus of their Foundation Board Emeritii. He was active in every community in which they lived. He was a Life Member of the American Legion, a Life Member of the Elks, held Church memberships over the years in: Salem Lutheran, Hitterdal; Hawley Lutheran; Navy Chapel, Jacksonville, FL; St. Paul's, Bellingham; Dilworth Lutheran; St. Paul's, Bagley; Our Savior's, Moorhead; Christ the King, Moorhead, and Cormorant Lutheran.

You may remember Clair by other names: Pete, Uncle Pete, Pistol Pete, Mr. Peterson, Mr. "P," etc., but always remember: By whatever name, he genuinely liked and enjoyed you.

Clair will be remembered for his quick wit and humor, his one-liners, his story telling, and his illustrative examples. Many times he would set you up with what sounded serious, and then leave you laughing with his endings. He often said: "If I can get one person to smile or to laugh, I have had a good day." He often stated: "Remember: life is short; you will be too long dead; enjoy it fully; but just don't hurt anyone along the way." He thought that most people spent too much time being concerned about their calendar or chronological age. He would tell people: "To enjoy life fully, ask yourself this question: 'How old would you be, if you did not know how old you are?' Answer it only to yourself, and then learn to live it."

Clair and Ardy loved the lakes. He and Ardy owned a Cottage on Ida Lake (1967-1978). They purchased a farm at Big Cormorant Lake in 1977. In 1983, Clair and Ardy sold their Moorhead home and moved out to Big Cormorant Lake full time. They commuted to their respective schools in Moorhead and Fargo until they retired. Over the years, they built and lived in three homes on their farm/lake property. They were involved in real estate development in the Lakes area until 2010, when they purchased a home in Village Green South in Moorhead and sold their Lake home. They, also, did real estate development in Arizona. After retirement, they spent their 

summers at their Minnesota homes, and wintered at their homes in the Rio Grande Valley (Weslaco), TX, (1995-1999), and at their home in Peoria, AZ, from 1999 until 2015.

At the end, Clair said: "My warmest thank you to my wonderful family; to my dear friends; and, to my former students for the wonderful years we had together--you were all so very special to me!"

Clair is survived by his children, Chad (Linda) Peterson of Cedar Rapids, IA, Connie (Mark) Weideman of Moorhead, MN, Charles (Diane) Peterson of Lake Bronson, MN, Candace (Roger) Peterson of Savage, MN; his grandchildren, Eric Peterson, Jeffrey Peterson, Kristen Peterson Lee and great-granddaughter, Kaleigh Peterson.

Clair was preceded in death by his wife, Ardith; parents; a sister, Jeanette Jacobson and 4 brothers, Lloyd "Bud" Peterson, Charles "Denver" Peterson, Gordon Peterson, Milan Peterson and grandson, Connor Peterson.

No memorials, flowers, gifts or donations, please. We were overwhelmed with people's kindness and generosity in June when our Mother died. A prayer for our Dad and Mom will suffice.