Hilding "Swede" Peterson

Hilding A. “Swede” Peterson, 91, of Benton Harbor passed away on Thursday, Sept. 16, 2010 at Lakeland Regional Medical Center in St. Joseph. A celebration of life service will be held 11 AM on Wednesday, September 22, at the Saron Lutheran Church in St. Joseph with Rev. Joan Oleson officiating. Burial will follow in North Shore Memory Gardens where military rites will be conducted. The family will receive friends and relatives from 5 PM to 8 PM on Tuesday at the Dey-Florin Chapel of Florin Funeral Service in St. Joseph. Memorials may be made to the Saron Lutheran Church or the VFW Post 1137. To share memories and photos, visit www.florin.net. Swede was born in Chicago, IL on Oct. 6, 1918 to John & Amanda (Johnson) Peterson. The family moved to Benton Harbor when he was 2 years old where he resided the rest of his life. He graduated from Benton Harbor High School in 1936 where he played Varsity football with his lifelong friend Emil “Ace” Edelberg. After graduation he worked with his father at Mullin Container Corporation and along with Ace played semi-pro football on the Twin Cities Tornadoes. When the draft began in 1940 he made a pact with his friends that as soon as one of then was drafted the rest would enlist, so he joined the Army in April 1941. Swede served his country proudly in the Pacific Theater with the 32nd Red Arrow Division. His war experience in New Guinea has been chronicled in the book “The Ghost Mountain Boys”. After being discharged from the Army in August, 1945 he returned to Benton Harbor and began an apprenticeship with Star Pattern Manufacturing Company. Swede continued as a skilled wood pattern maker until his retirement. He was a member of Saron Lutheran Church where many old time Boy Scouts still remember him as their Scout leader. Swede was also a lifetime member of the VFW Post 1137. He enjoyed playing golf, hunting, fishing and playing cards with family and friends. On July 10, 1948 he married Anna May Peterson in Chicago, Illinois and together they celebrated 50 years of marriage. He was a devoted father to his children and loving caretaker of his wife as she battled M.S. until her death on November 25, 1998. Swede is survived by his son, James (Gayle) Peterson of Stevensville, MI and daughter Nancy (Jack) Durham of Saline, MI; six grandchildren – Steven (Karyn) Durham, Denise (Brian) Freidhoff, Jennifer (Billy) Smith, Charles Durham, Jonathon Peterson and Dianna Durham; four great-grandchildren – Irene Durham, Zachary Stephens, Blake Smith and Alexandria Smith; his sister Ruth Harris and sister-in-law June Peterson. Swede was also preceded in death by his parents John and Amanda; his brother Monte and his brother-in-law Fran Harris.

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Hilding "Swede" Peterson

October 6, 1918 - September 16, 2010