Norman Leo Peterson, 87

Norman Leo Peterson was born on May 8, 1928, in Lodge Pole, S.D. He was the youngest of seven children (two sisters and four brothers). Norm married Doris Spuler, of Rathdrum, on Nov. 11, 1948. He is survived by his wife, Doris; son Danny Peterson (Jan) of Coeur d’Alene; daughter Sherrill Peterson of Sonoma, Calif.; and daughter Susan Hammock (Terry) of Dalton Gardens.

Norm worked for 40 years at Kaiser Aluminum as a millwright and was considered a “Norm-of-all-trades and a Master-of-many.”

Norm and Doris were charter members of the Coeurly Q’s, a local square dance club formed in 1960.

Norm and his family are longtime members of St. Pius X Church. Norm was one of the many volunteers involved in the initial construction of the building. For many years, Norm and Doris have counted the collection for the church.

Norm was a man of many hobbies. He was an avid gardener, having grown up working on his father’s farm. In his younger days, he became a pilot, courtesy of the GI Bill, and enjoyed taking his family members for rides. On one occasion, he waggled his wings over his mother and father-in-law’s house, and actually flew under a bridge — namely the Greensferry Bridge located in Post Falls. Norm quit high school in 1945 to join the Army. As he was getting ready to ship out, he was told he could not go, because he had three brothers already fighting overseas.

Staying stateside, he applied to become an Army mechanic. Instead, they made him a cook. He actually studied with a chef at the Waldorf Astoria in New York. Baking became his passion. Norm was such a good cook that officers asked his permission to come into the enlisted men’s mess to sample his fare. After he retired, Norm continued to delight people with his holiday offerings of lefsa, rosettes, cinnamon rolls and mincemeat cookies.

Norm thoroughly enjoyed the outdoors. He was an avid elk hunter and fisherman. He and Doris were often found fishing on Lake Coeur d’Alene on their boat, the Norm n’ D. On a trip to Alaska, he caught a halibut weighing 112 pounds — it was the biggest fish on the spit. He was known to embellish the truth a bit, but it really was 112 pounds!

One might perhaps say Norm could be dubbed “McGiver” as he had the ability to fix anything. One of the neighbors gave him the title “Mayor of the Culdesac” because he was always there for whomever needed help.

Norm was a longtime member of the Coeur d’Alene Eagles and was very involved in all the club activities. He was also an avid Zags basketball fan, always screaming and yelling and rooting them on.

Norm and Doris were able to do a lot of traveling over the years, often in their motor home. They enjoyed camping and meeting new people. Because of their son’s airline employment, they were able to travel extensively, visiting England, Scotland, New Zealand and Mexico, as well as a number of places in the United States.

There will be a visitation/viewing at 9 a.m. Monday, Nov. 30, 2015, at St. Pius X Catholic Church, 625 E. Haycraft Ave., Coeur d’Alene, with a funeral Mass at 10 a.m. A graveside service with military honors will follow at Coeur d’Alene Memorial Gardens with a reception lunch planned for noon at the Eagles Lodge, 209 E. Sherman Ave., Coeur d’Alene. Please visit Norm’s online memorial and sign his guest book at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com.