Arlyn K. Petersen

ARLYN KNUTE PETERSEN was born on October 12, 1934 to Knute and Carrie (Hansen) Petersen on the family farm in Shaokatan Township in Lincoln County, Minnesota. Arlyn was baptized in 1939 at the Diamond Lake Church in rural Lake Benton, Minnesota and was then confirmed on April 10, 1949. He graduated from high school in 1953 from Lake Benton High School. Arlyn was united in marriage to Garnet Jensen on June 30, 1957 at the Danebod Lutheran Church in Tyler, Minnesota. The young couple moved to a farm in Drammen Township, north of Lake Benton. During their time on the farm, the couple was blessed with the birth of their four children. The family continued to live on the farm until 1977, when they moved to Lake Benton. Arlyn worked for Andy Heggestad and then became a self-employed construction worker, starting Petersen Gravel, in 1983. He continued to work construction until 1999, when he began working for Bituminous Paving Inc. In 2017, Arlyn semi-retired, but continued to stay busy at his shop and moved snow for the city of Lake Benton. Arlyn continued to live at home with Garnet until his failing health brought him to the Pipestone County Hospice House in Pipestone, Minnesota on Sunday, September 15, 2019. Arlyn died peacefully on Wednesday, September 18, 2019 at the age of 84 years, 11 months, and seven days.

Arlyn was a member of the Grace Lutheran Church in Lake Benton. In his free-time, Arlyn was a “professional collector” of various items including: coins, tractors, toy tractors, and trucks. Above all else, Arlyn loved to spend time with his children, grandchildren, and his great-grandchildren.

He is lovingly remembered by his wife, Garnet; children, Terry (Joann) Petersen of New Ulm, Minnesota, Karen Petersen of Lake Benton, Greg Mensen of Albany, Minnesota, and Susan (Gary) Haupert of Pipestone; 14 grandchildren, Heidi (Craig) Sondag, Aaron (Tarah) Petersen, Kacie Petersen, Tanner (Becca) Petersen, Kristin (Tim) Miller, Ashley (Reid) Heffele, Garrett (Caitlin) Petersen, Laura (John) Rigge, Rachael (Matt) Krueger, Katie (Alex) Bakker, Courtney (Andrew) Vroman, Amber (Devin) Gorter, Amanda Haupert, and April Haupert; 26 great-grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews; and many other loving friends and family members. He was preceded in death by his children, Randy Petersen and Carol Mensen; his sisters, Rose Elaine Rydell, Irene Lahey, Berniece Johannsen, and Mera Luceil Johnson; and his parents, Knute and Carrie.