Paul Peterson

1939 - 2025

Paul Earl Peterson

1939 ~ 2025

Holladay, UT-Paul Earl Peterson passed away peacefully on September 16, 2025 with his beloved wife, Marcia by his side not long after his 86th birthday. He was excited to have a birthday party with his family on the Friday before his passing where they gathered in his home and celebrated all of the September birthdays in the family. It was a wonderful evening, and he was surrounded by all of his children, most of his grandchildren, and four of his great-grandchildren with one more expected soon. He loved family get-togethers, and for those of us who were able attend, we will always remember his last birthday get-together!

Paul was born in Logan, Utah to W. Donald and Fawn Stewart Anderson Peterson in Logan, Utah. They welcomed him into their small family as their second son. He was the younger brother to William Donald Peterson II and later had two younger sisters, COL Bonnie M. Athas, and Professor Donna R. Peterson. He loved his siblings dearly.

When he was 15, his family moved to Holladay, Utah where Paul helped his father build the home in which the family would live and would later purchase in which HE raise his own small family.

Paul attended Olympus High School and graduated in 1957. He later attended and graduated from the University of Utah and received his Bachelor's Degree in business administration.

Paul proudly served his country in the United States Armed Forces Army Reserve and quickly learned that all of the time spent hunting in Fillmore paid off because he was quickly selected as a sharpshooter where he gathered many, many metals in competition and awards of excellence. Those skills came in handy when taking his sons pheasant hunting because after they had unloaded their guns and missing the pheasant, he would calmly take one shot to bring the bird down and just smile at them.

He also love ALL things with motors and loved to build and work on them. The car that he build as a teenager was featured on the cover of Car Craft Magazine. He was always very proud of that!

He had one true love in his life, Marcia. They were high school sweethearts. He told his son he knew that while he was in high school, that he would marry her someday although he (and everyone else around him) knew that she was much to pretty for him. She felt the same way about him and saw something magical in him that she loved and never let go. They were married in the Salt Lake Temple by (then) Apostle Harold B. Lee on September 17, 1963.

Soon after graduating from the University of Utah, Paul purchased Deseret Mortuary. When asked about why he wanted to be in the mortuary business, he said that he loved to help people when they needed it. He was at his finest when he was serving others, and he and Marcia taught that principle to their three children. He often got up very early during winter snowstorms and would plow snow for his neighbors. He called it "silent service." He loved it when he could get it completed before they woke up to see that their driveway was cleared. Paul could do about anything and would help anyone, anytime.

He loved to collect and work on "stuff." It made him so happy when someone needed something, and he just happened to have it to give to them (if he could FIND it). He was always dreaming of the next project, which sometimes meant that he did not usually finish the one before-which did not bother him much to the chagrin of Marcia, who just loved him unconditionally anyway.

Something he was very proud of in his early married life was his service as a Bishop in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the Central City area of Salt Lake City. He loved the lord and demonstrated that through serving the members of his Ward. At one time, he had two Executive Secretaries assisting him so that he could help all of those who needed welfare assistance each week. He felt the love of the Lord as he helped people meet their needs as the Savior would. He would become emotional as he talked about the blessings which the Lord has given to him, and he showed his love to others by serving his fellow man, as the Savior would.

He accomplished so much in his 86 years upon this earth. As a family, we are sad at his passing, but know that he will see his Savior and his Father in Heaven who will both be proud of him for all that he did while on this earth. We can only imagine the true joy he felt when his family members who preceded him in death are hosting a homecoming for him.

We can also imagine all of his beloved dogs who have long passed on who are surrounding him and welcoming him home. He loved feeding them scraps from the table and doing it in spite of Marcia urging him to NOT feed the dogs at the table! We will miss him so much!

He is survived by his wife, Marcia Wilson Peterson, their three children-Paul Earl II (Tonia), Jeffrey Donald (Tricia), and Mary Lynn Porter (Todd). They have 10 grandchildren: Michael, Megan, Jack, Mason, Teya, Jonas, Marcus, Alex, Kaleb, and Torrey.

It was Paul's wish to be cremated and to have a Celebration of Life event on October 10, 2025 at the Holladay 24th Ward Chapel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (4395 South Albright Drive (2145 East) in Holladay, Utah from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. - Services provided by IPS Mortuary & Crematory.