Ralph D. Petersen, 62

6/6/35-9/23/97

Ralph D. Petersen, 62, of Gulfport, Miss., died Tuesday, Sept. 23, 1997, in Gulfport.

Services will be Friday at 11 a.m. in the Riemann Funeral Home Chapel in Gulfport. Visitation will be Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be with full military honors in Floral Hills Memorial Gardens.

Petersen was born June 6, 1935, in Herman to Albert and Laura Petersen. He graduated from Herman High School and attended Memphis State University.

He had retired as a Senior Master Sergeant after a 28-year career in the U.S. Air Force.

He was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Good Conduct Medal with three Bronze Stars, the Air Force Good Conduct Medal with five Bronze Stars, the National Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal and Vietnam Service Medal.

Following his military career, he worked in Federal Civil Service in the Department of Veteran’s Affairs and Department of Defense for more than 14 years. His last assignment was with the headquarters, 2nd Air Force at Keesler as a resident course program manager.

He had received five Performance awards and a Sustained Superior Award.

Survivors include his wife, Joline, of Gulfport; three sons, Thomas D. Petersen of Ocean Springs, Miss.; Craig A. Petersen and Douglas E. Petersen, both of Gulfport; one daughter, Belinda Petersen of Arlington, Texas; his mother, Laura Petersen of Blair; two brothers, Earl Petersen of Washington, D.C. and Curtis Petersen, The Colony, Texas; and two grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his father and two brothers, Donald Petersen and Clifford Petersen.

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair, Nebraska library.~~~