Mark LeRoy Peterson

Mark LeRoy Peterson, age 73, Jonesborough, TN, passed away Tuesday, November 7, 2017 at his residence.

 

He was born Februay 7, 1944 at Sturgis, SD to Harvey and Gladys Peterson. At about the age of three they moved to their ranch at Opal, SD where he attended grade school.

 

Mark graduated from Faith High School in 1962, then attended Black Hills Teachers College for one year. Mark worked in the area until entering the US Army in November 1964 until 1967 when he was honorably discharged. He mostly served at Red Stone Arsenal at Huntsville, AL, where he met Nina Davis. They married October 2, 1965.

 

They were blessed with two children, Mark Jr. and Shanna. Nina passed away of cancer May 1996. Mark retired in September 1996 after 27 years at Lockhead-Martin in Oak Ridge, TN.

 

He met Phyllis Cunningham in 1999 and they were married in 2000. She had two sons, Colby and Eric. Mark and Phyllis moved to Belle Fourche, SD until 2006 when they moved back to Jonesborough, TN. He was a member of Lighthouse Missionary Baptist Church. 

 

Mark loved dancing, woodworking, leather working, and working in his garden and yard. His favorite hobby though was dancing in a teaching capacity and competition dancing.

 

He is survived by  his mother, Gladys (Hansell) Peterson, Kalispell, MT;   his wife, Phyllis, Jonesborough, TN; son, Mark Peterson, Jr. (Linda); daughter, Shanna Peterson Jones (Dennis), Dunkirk, IN; step sons, Colby Cunningham (Krisi), Abington, VA and Eric Cunningham (Stacy), Tazewell, VA; nine grandchildren; one sister, Marilynn Aasheim, Kalispell, MT; one brother, Carl Peterson Sr. (Judy), Rapid City, SD;  and  many nephews and nieces.

 

He was preceded in death by his father, first wife Nina, sister Lois, brother-in-law Lester Aasheim, SR and numerous aunts and uncles.

 

 A Celebration of Life was held November 10, 2017.