MOLINE, IL (April 4, 2013) – A memorial service for retired Evangelical Covenant Church pastor Norris Peterson, 85, will be conducted at First Covenant Church on April 27. He died Tuesday.
Peterson was born June 11, 1927, in Bradford, Pennsylvania, to Covenant pastor William and Hildur Peterson. He also grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Fort Dodge, Iowa.
Peterson graduated from North Park Junior College and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Minnesota. He graduated from North Park Theological Seminary in 1951.
He married Geraldine Deater on July 13, 1957. She survives.
Peterson was the developer pastor for First Covenant Church in Mason City, Iowa; Bretton Woods Covenant Church in Lansing, Michigan; and Westside Covenant Church in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He also served First Covenant Church in Fresno, California, and Highland Covenant Church in Bellevue, Washington.
Peterson served as vice-chairman of the Michigan Covenant Conference, secretary of the Covenant Annual Meeting, chairman of the California Conference Board of Publications, chairman of the Great Lakes Covenant Ministerium, and as a member of the Covenant Board of Ministry.
In addition to his wife, survivors include a daughter, Patricia Youngs (Darin), and a son, Gregory Peterson (Venisa). He was preceded in death by a brother, Covenant pastor William Peterson, Jr., in 2003.
Memorials may be directed to the William L. Peterson Fund for Continuing Education at North Park Theological Seminary, 3225 West Foster Avene, Chicago, IL 60625.
