Curtis R. Petersen

Curtis Ray Petersen, the son of Raymond Leonard and IdaMae Hansen Petersen, was born June 20, 1943, in Audubon, Iowa and died January 19, 2010, at St. Anthonys Regional Hospital in Carroll, Iowa at the age of 66 years, 6 months, and 29 days.
Curtis was baptized and confirmed at the Exira Lutheran Church in Exira, Iowa. He attended rural school and then graduated from the Exira High School with the Class of 1961. He later graduated from the Farm-Ag program at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. Curtis returned to Exira, helped operate the family farm and also did custom work for other area farmers.
On November 25, 1967, he was united in marriage to Dixie Rudolph at Our Saviours Lutheran Church in Audubon. They lived just east of Exira for several years before moving onto Curtiss family farm. He raised livestock and grain for many years, then recently took more of a managerial position.
Curtis was a member of the Exira Lutheran Church where he served on the church council, ushered for many years, and was also a member of the dart ball team. He served as an Audubon County Commissioner for the Soil Conservation Board for several years. He was a member of the Audubon County Pork Producer Board, a member of the Audubon County Extension Council, a board member of the Davids Creek Watershed, and was on the board of the Audubon-Exira Coop. He had been a member of the National Guard during the Viet Nam Era. He enjoyed hunting and he and Dixie also enjoyed square dancing.
Preceding him in death were his parents; his father-in-law and mother-in-law: Hilmer and Lorena Rudolph; and 5 nephews and 2 nieces.
Survivors include his wife Dixie Petersen of Exira; his sons: Aaron and wife Lori Petersen of Audubon, Justin and wife Malinda Petersen of Lincoln, Nebraska, and Trent Petersen of Exira; his granddaughters: Alisha Petersen of Audubon and Bailey Petersen of Lincoln; his brothers and sister: Wayne and wife Donita Petersen of Indianola, Iowa, Gail and wife Evelyn Petersen of Exira and Connie and husband Al Neumann of Earlham, Iowa; his brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law: Desmond and wife Kay Rudolph and Darlene and husband Bob Soll all of Audubon, Doris Flathers of Kimballton, Iowa, Diana Deist of Audubon, Della and husband Larry Hinners of Manning, Iowa, Delmar Rudolph of Audubon, Dorothy and husband Bill Synder of Woodbine, Iowa, Delrene Greve of Audubon, many nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.

Cemetery:
Interment will be in the Exira Cemetery in Exira.

Visitation:
The family will meet with friends Friday evening, January 22, 2010, at 5:00 P.M. at the Kessler Funeral Home in Exira.

Service:
Funeral services will be conducted by Pastor Steven Frock on Saturday, January 23, 2010, at 2:00 P.M. at the Exira Lutheran Church in Exira, Iowa.