Obituary: John Alvin Peterson

MAY 12, 1929 - JANUARY 25, 2011

John Alvin Peterson passed away on Jan. 25, 2011, at Valley Hospital in Las Vegas. John was born May 12, 1929, in Chicago to John and Cerona Peterson. He lived in Chicago during his youth until his enlistment in the U.S. Army Infantry during the Korean War where he served in the Seoul military command. After the war, he was drawn to Glendale, Calif., where, in 1954 he married his first wife Harlene Heitmiller who bore him a son Jay (now deceased) and a daughter Janice. For many years, John and his family lived in La Crescenta, Calif., where he operated a heating and air conditioning business. John and Harlene divorced in 1978. In 1984 he married Mai Huynh (who had three children from a previous marriage); the family resided in Vista, Calif.

John is predeceased by son Jay Joseph Petersen and younger brother Arnold Allen Peterson, of Rhinelander, Wis. He is survived by his first wife Harlene Jo Peterson, daughter Janice Eileen DeMagistris and grandson Nicholas DeMagistris all living in Carson City. John is also survived by his second wife Mai Huynh Peterson of Las Vegas; son Chau Nguyen of San Jose, Calif.; daughters Sonya Adams (Nguyen) of San Jose and Thuy Thanh Nguyen of Las Vegas. John is also survived by an older brother Clarence Eugene Peterson of Rolling Hills Estates, Calif. In honor of his service to his country, John will be interred at the Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetary in Boulder City.