Douglas W. Peterson

Peterson, Douglas W. Douglas, more fondly known as Captain Pete, passed away peacefully and surrounded by his family on August 6, 2023 at the age of 88. Douglas is preceded in death by his beloved wife Francine Fabiani Peterson (2018) and his brother David Peterson (2019). Douglas grew up in Wahoo, Nebraska and attended Luther Junior College before joining the Navy and going to medical school. He loved working with people, but also liked to say his true calling in life might have been as a veterinarian. He loved animals and would stop and talk to every dog and dog walker he could. He had a huge heart for all animals and his time spent as a veterinarian's assistant in high school was very special to him. If you ever met Doug out on a walk, you wouldn't leave without hearing how much he missed his Golden Retriever Buster and how his family came to adopt a puppy from the original Rin Tin Tin way back in the 1940s. Douglas was a proud Navy Captain and spent his 21-year military career in the medical corps as an otolaryngologist and general medical officer - traveling the world and taking care of patients in Russia, Washington, D.C., Tennessee, Virginia, Washington, Texas, and also aboard ship in Vietnam. After retiring from the Navy in 1986, Douglas went on to have a successful career in the ENT department at the Marshfield Clinic in Marshfield, WI. The greatest joy in his career was taking care of kids who needed his help - tonsils, adenoids, tubes in their ears. He loved to do an exam room magic trick and pull a dinosaur out of a patient's ear. Those patients would regularly see him around town and ask for the magic, so he always had rubber dinosaurs in his jacket pockets. Douglas and Francine spent as much time as they could in their beloved home in Door County, WI, spending quality time with friends, appreciating the sunsets, and attending St. Luke's Episcopal Church in Sister Bay, WI. After Francine passed, Douglas moved to Plymouth, MN to be closer to his children and lived at Trillium Woods Independent Living. He loved to visit the library, go for walks around the lake, talk to dogs, and spend time with his family eating pancakes, enjoying peaceful naps in the backyard (or on any sofa he could find), and watching football and documentaries. Douglas was very proud of his children and was overjoyed at being able to spend time with his grandchildren as their "Baba." Douglas is survived by his children Erika (Nate) and Bjorn (Stephanie), and his grandchildren Olaf and Aurelia. Funeral services will be Friday, August 25. Visitation will be at 10:30am at Fort Snelling Memorial Chapel. Memorial service is at 11:30, also at the Fort Snelling Memorial Chapel at 1 Tower Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55450. Douglas will be laid to rest with full military honors next to Francine at Fort Snelling National Cemetery at 1pm on August 25. In lieu of flowers, please send donations in honor of "Captain Pete" to Ruff Start Rescue to support Douglas' new occupation: Caretaker of Heavenly Pets. We love you dad. We miss you so. We know you are reunited with mom and Uncle David in heaven, and our hearts are full knowing you are together again. Washburn-McReavy.com Nokomis Park Chapel 612-721-1651

Tributes

Douglas W. Peterson

August 5, 1935 - August 6, 2023

Tributes

Douglas W. Peterson

August 5, 1935 - August 6, 2023

We are here for you 24x7

Call us and get help now

(612) 377-2203