Donald Peterson

Donald Eugene Peterson, 96, of Albert City, died Nov. 3, 2026, at Laurens Care Center. 

A private family service will celebrate Don’s life. No visitation and no flowers or plants, please. Memorial money will be donated to either St. Jude’s or to a Veterans organization. Sliefert Funeral Home in Albert City is in charge of the arrangements. 

Donald Eugene Peterson in his own words…

Donald Eugene Peterson was born at Porath Hospital in Storm Lake on Oct. 27, 1930. He was the son of August Emil Peterson and Selma Fagerlund Peterson. He graduated from Albert City Consolidated School in 1948. He continued his education at the University of Iowa, graduating in 1952 with honors in accounting. He was selected to be a member of the honorary scholastic fraternity in Phi Beta Kappa. He was commissioned into the Army as a Second Lieutenant.

Don was called to active duty in July 1952. After attending advanced officer training at Fort Benning, Ga., he trained recruits at Camp Atterbury in Indiana. In April 1953, he received orders to serve overseas. He was assigned to the Headquarters and Headquarters Company Eight Cavalry Regiment First Cavalry Division at Camp Crawford, Hokkaido Japan. He commanded the Security Platoon and the motor pool. He received his discharge April 1954 with the rank of First Lieutenant.

Don returned to Albert City where he met his soon-to-be wife Darlene Olson at the Cobblestone. They both knew what they wanted, and it was each other. They married in six months and loved each other for 66 years. They were married Feb. 27, 1955. To this union were born three daughters: Deborah, Jennifer and Marcia. Donald joined his brother Morris in farming rather than pursuing a career in accounting. This partnership lasted until Morris passed away in 1992.

Donald was a lifelong member of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church and served on its church board. He also served as a board member of Albert City Savings Bank and as president of the Albert City-Truesdale School Board.

Donald retired in 1995. He devoted a lot of time building furniture for his children until they got tired of it. He then devoted his time to harassing his wife Darlene. He also spent a lot of time extensively researching family genealogy and wrote fascinating stories about family history.

He was preceded in death by his parents and about all his friends. Who else is dead is your problem as I am dead, too.

Donald Peterson in his daughters’ words…

Our loving father, Donald Peterson, 96, of Albert City, passed away Nov. 3, 2026.

During his life, he created a love story for us to admire and retell.

After the Army, Don was home before heading to Chicago for the accounting job he was offered with Arthur Anderson before his stint in the Korean War. However, during this time, he met Darlene and decided to farm instead of heading to the city. She became engaged to him after three months of dating, and she always stated that while she was engaged to a future Chicago accountant, she actually married an Albert City farmer, only a few months separating the first date and wedding date because Don was unwilling to wait more time to start their lives together.

Don and Darlene began their lives in a tenant house on the Peterson homestead. The house had no indoor bathroom. After a few years, they started their family in that three-room house. They cared for their first two daughters in the house before buying and moving to a larger, still old, house on their own land. But with this move, they were able to work and create their own dream home. This is where Dad and Mom would host elaborate parties for friends and family. Don was, what we would claim, a workaholic. But through this, he exhibited traits that showed us how to work hard until the job was done. “If a job is worth doing, it is worth doing well.”

Donald spent his life farming and besides farming with his brother, he, also, incorporated his son-in-law, Todd Kay, into the farming operation. Todd continues to farm the family land. Don stated that one of the things in his life that he was most proud of was paying off the family farm, leaving a legacy for his family.

Through the years of love and laughter together, Don and Darlene raised their three daughters. They always put family first and left behind many memories of family vacations in the car, bean walking in the summers and caring for animals on the farm.

They demonstrated so much love throughout their marriage. When Darlene's health took a downturn, the level of care and devotion he provided until the end of her life was breathtaking to witness. It was a pure example of true love until the end. Darlene passed away in January 2021. And Dad was never fully happy again.

Hobbies that our dad engaged in always benefited us. Our father wrote stories from his childhood and of his parents as it was important to him that we all knew where we had come from. He started doing woodworking projects and took such pride in making furniture, both big and small, for each of his daughters and grandchildren. He would scour food magazines and cook or bake new recipes every week. Some were definitely better than others. Dad lived with integrity, honesty and generosity. He encouraged our independence through all that he did and expected each of us to find our own paths in life. To help each find a path, Dad supported us in finding our own colleges and occupations. He also set up college accounts for all his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, even some who are not yet even a thought. Don believed in education.

Poppa’s relationship with each of the grandkids and great-grandkids was special. Whether it was frequent visits, or an exchange of letters, or a conversation during the holidays, Poppa’s unsolicited advice and example of how to love, be financially responsible, and always help family lives on through each of them. His presence made a lasting impression in their lives that will grow through their lives.

Our father will be so missed. His support and his humor. (Although he was excessively sarcastic which, needlessly says, that some loved his humor and others, not so much.) His lessons about life. He complained once that he got no respect from his children, so we started calling him Sir, a nickname that stuck. It was always important to be able to laugh.

Donald is survived by his three daughters: Deborah, Jennifer (Bill Foster) and Marcia (Todd Kay); grandchildren: Nick Foster, Brandon (Sami) Kay, Taryn (Isaak) Unger and Sydney (John) Sweetman; and great-grandchildren Aubrey and Bentley Unger, Dax and Ava Kay and Roen Sweetman.

“Sir” as known to us and those close to Don and his daughters was a force in the lives of those who knew him. He always supported us, generously, no matter where we were at in life.