Marlow "Bub" Peterson

Marlow Maurice Peterson was born on September 30, 1938, in Stacyville, Iowa, and passed away at home in Osceola, Iowa, on August 26, 2025, a month shy of his 87th birthday.

He was born Gary Dean Peterson on September 30, 1938 to Charles and Clara Peterson. After calling him Gary for three days, Clara was unpleasantly surprised when Charlie came home from filing the birth certificate and had changed the baby's name to Marlow Maurice. "Bub," as he began calling himself because he couldn't say Marlow, discovered his birth certificate years later and upon asking, was told the story behind his unique name. Bub was the fourth of 7 children. He lived and worked on the family farm near Alden in Burdette, Iowa, and graduated from Popejoy High School in 1957, a place from which sprung many interesting stories about his shenanigans that he would love to retell. Especially to his grandkids, who all have their personal favorite of Bub's crazy old stories.

At a dance with friends on February 10, 1968, Bub met someone else who wasn't really into dancing that night – Joan Kay Cook. Instead of dancing, they spent the evening talking over the music, something they would enjoy doing together for years to come. They had their first date on Valentine's Day, were engaged on March 6, and got married on June 8 of the same year. They lived and farmed in Alden, and Bub attended Ellsworth Community College and got his Associate's Degree in Business in 1970. Bub and Joan welcomed their first daughter, Paula, in 1972 and then Pam two years later, after which the family made the move to southern Iowa, where Bub had bought a farm in Clarke County. It was there they would raise their family, completed by the birth of Peggy in 1977. Bub and Joan lived on that farm, "the perfect place to raise girls," until building a home on Arbor Valley Lake in 2019. He was a successful farmer despite the hardships of the 1980s Farm Crisis, and he was proud of that, along with the fact that he started his farm business from scratch.

Bub was happy that all three daughters married and eventually moved back to Osceola, grandkids in tow. Being a father and grandfather were his greatest joys. He often said his favorite times were when his house would be filled with all of them…the girls having friends over while they were growing up, later running and playing when the grandkids were younger, and eventually laughing, eating, and catching up with the significant others as well once the grandchildren got older. Each of Bub's eight grandchildren held a special and unique place in his heart. Grandpa Bub was "everyone's grandpa."

After a sudden health crisis in 2023, he was gifted with two-and-a-half more years with his family and friends. The next year, he celebrated with his whole family at his first granddaughter's wedding, when he amazed his grandkids, kids, and wife by fast-dancing for the first time - ever. No one will ever forget his epic "Footloose" moves.

Friends were an important part of Bub's life, and no matter when he met a friend, he didn't lose touch. Over the years he was blessed with many lifelong relationships. If he couldn't visit someone in person (and many times even if he could), he would use the phone to reach out to his siblings and friends. Talking on the telephone was one of his favorite pastimes, much to the chagrin of his daughters when they were teenagers sharing a landline with him. They would joke that other households had to wait for teenagers to get off the phone, but at their house they often had to wait for DAD to get off the phone!

After moving to the lake, Bub discovered fishing wasn't really his thing but instead became obsessed with the life and times of birds. He had many, many birdhouses, from simple shacks to elaborate purple martin mansions, some that he proudly painted himself. He enjoyed watching the martins move in, raise their families, and hopefully return the next spring. Earlier this summer he even quickly built a birdhouse for some wrens that he was pitying, because the sparrows were bullying them. Bub could build or fix anything. Got a challenge? He would take it. In fact, he would relish it. From welding together jungle gym equipment to tearing apart and repairing his washing machine approximately 37 times, he could tackle any project with a hairdryer, a paper clip, and maybe some JB Weld. He also gardened, providing himself and possibly the whole county with tomatoes, onions, and jalapeño peppers. He loved anything spicy, saying it wasn't hot enough unless it made his forehead sweat. Many eyes watered over the years not only from accepting Bub's hot pepper challenge, but also from laughing at the inevitable results and from watching Bub laugh. A good, hard Bub laugh was something not always seen, but when you did, you realized just how lucky you were to experience such a mixture of pure joy and orneriness.

Bub strongly believed in helping people and treating others with respect, especially marginalized populations or those who were mistreated, and could be found volunteering with Joan at Toys for Christmas, Osceola's Latino Festival, and School Supplies giveaways.

And perhaps nothing could touch the love he had for his dog Daisy, who he called "the perfect dog," which she really was for him. In recent years one of Bub's most favorite things was his long walks with her. He would say, "I don't always want to go, but Daisy does." More than once it was said that Daisy had to outlive Bub, as everyone knew he wouldn't be able to live without her. The very last thing Bub did on this earth was take Daisy on one of their numerous walks around the dam of the lake, phone in his pocket playing old country western songs.

He was preceded in death by his mother Clara (Conrad) Peterson, father Charles Peterson, brother in infancy Robert Peterson, father-in-law Joseph Cook, mother-in-law Kathleen (Ford) Cook, brother-in-law Charles Bell, brother-in-law Kenny Mehmen, sister-in-law Carolyn Peterson, brother-in-law James Cook, brother-in-law Joe Cook, nephew Eric Mehmen, many dear friends, several loyal dogs, and too many farm cats to count.

Bub is survived by his wife Joan, daughters Paula (Brian) Reece, Pam (Chad) DeVore, and Peggy (Ryan) Lundquist, all of Osceola, grandchildren Alexa (Colin) Martin of Ankeny, Gable Reece (Andie Trotter) of Huntersville, NC, Kenna DeVore (Blake Dunn) of Madison, WI, Coel Reece (Haley Miller) of West Des Moines, Dylan Lundquist (Quinn Deahl) of Waukee, Cooper Reece (Audrey Andresen) of Des Moines, Calhoun Lundquist of Ames, and Zeke Lundquist of Osceola. Also surviving Bub are all of his siblings: Darwin Peterson of Alden, Marlene Bell of Ames, Sharon Peterson of Des Moines, Judy Mehmen of Aplington, Janet (Bob) Fischer of Blaine, MN, and Richard Peterson of Alden. Additional family members include sister-in-law Jane (Larry) Okasaki of Commerce City, CO, and brothers-in-law Jeff (Susan) Cook of Kansas City, MO, and Jed (Denise) Cook of Bevington, as well as numerous nieces and nephews, and friends who were like family.

Just like the name was unique, so was the man. Those who knew him knew this as well. He was generous, empathetic, and in many ways larger than life. He was ours, and we were his. There will never be another "Bub."