Willard "Willie" Peterson, age 85 passed away on Sunday, April 20, 2025 at the Benedictine Living Community in Owatonna, MN.
Willard was born in Waterville, November 10, 1939. In high school he played football, went to the State competition in Track and won third place. He also won a talent show at school imitating Elvis Presley! At 17, he joined the U.S. Army Reserve where he remained for 23 years retiring at the rank of E8, Master Sargeant.
In Sept. 1960, he married Mary Ann Meyers at the Catholic Church in Le Center. They had a daughter, JoAnn Marie and a son, Michael Willard. They later divorced. Michael passed in 2022 leaving a son, Tanner, a daughter, Michaela and a second son, Evan.
In 1984 he married Cheryl Schema Kotek at the Sacred Heart Church in Faribault. Willie also became a step-father to Cheryl's daughter, Brenda. Cheryl and Willie enjoyed 40+ years of marriage.
Willie retired from the Minnesota Academy for the Blind in 1997 after 38 years with some of those years at the Minnesota School for the Deaf also. He started in maintenance, became a Bus Driver and transported the student to many sporting events, maintained the school vehicles and later was Building Maintenance supervisor at both the academies. Willie was a talented painter and has many portraits and landscapes painted in oil. He regularly participated in the art competition at the Steele County Fair placing First place and two third place winners. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus in both Faribault and Owatonna.
Willie is survived by his wife of 40 years, Cheryl; his daughter, JoAnn (Dave) Bjorklund and grandson, Caden of Ohio; his step-daughter, Brenda (Chris) Bednar, and grandchildren.
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