Peterson to be honored as Grand Marshal

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GLADSTONE - Norm Peterson, a life-long resident of Gladstone who served the U.S. Army in World War II, has been chosen as this year's Grand Marshal, and will be honored in Gladstone's Fourth of July Parade Saturday.

Peterson, 93, is a retired teacher and coach, who taught in the Gladstone School District for more than 40 years.

He was born to Ole and Irene Peterson, Gladstone. His father, a cement contractor, was mayor of Gladstone three times, and his mother was a fifth-grade school teacher in Gladstone.

Peterson said he was truly honored when he learned he had been chosen as this year's Grand Marshal, because he has such strong ties to the community.

"I had such a great respect for my dad being Gladstone's mayor three times, and my mother being a school teacher here...I'm very honored to be chosen by this city."

More than anything, Peterson said he prides himself on his education.

"I value strongly the extra education I received," he said.

After graduating second in his class from Gladstone High School in 1934, Peterson went on to Northern Michigan University where he played tennis.

"Tennis was my favorite game," he said. "I really enjoyed it. I learned how to play by reading a handbook. We made up our own team. We didn't have a coach. As a senior, I got second place in Singles in all classes in the U.P. We won the trophy that year."

In 1938, he graduated with a bachelor's of arts in education. He went on to receive his master's in education at University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

Later in life, Peterson spent several summers attending school to continue his education. He went to school for General Electric in Cleveland, Ohio, to study lights, Overland College in Ohio to study math, and LaFayette College in Pennsylvania for math. His proudest accomplishment was being chosen as one of 50 teachers east of the Mississippi to participate in a six-week fellowship sponsored by Shell Oil at Cornell University's School of Chemical & Metalurgy Engineering.

At the end of his first year of teaching, Peterson was called to war. He served the U.S. Army during World War II, first as a signal sargeant and was then promoted to first sargeant, in charge of his company.

After attending school in Chicago for one year to study radar, he was appointed to serve as a radio repairman.

"I studied radar which was a secret weapon used to find an airplane, at that time, not more than 50 miles away," he said. Once you found the airplane, then you locked them in and followed it until you got closer and then the radar would fire four 90 mm guns and shoot the airplane down."

Peterson served in World War II from April 14, 1943, to Jan. 22, 1946, during which he was stationed in New Guinea, the South Philippine Islands, and Luzon. After he was discharged from war, he was hired by the government to teach war veterans in Houghton.

"I helped those veterans who wanted to go to college," he said. "I had maybe the best job teaching veterans."

When he returned home from war he was offered a job teaching physics and math at Gladstone High School. His students remember him for his famous phrase "Are you with me there?" In 1980, the school awarded him with a Paper Fullback for his years of teaching and his support at the school. In addition to teaching he was a JV basketball coach for four years and a tennis coach for 12 years.

He married Mary Peterson at the age of 64, and they spent 19 years together. Mary had two children, Robert and Mary.

Peterson is a member of the Gladstone Golf Course where he plays every year. He continues to play golf at least three to four days a week, and is proud to say he's had three holes in one during his lifetime.