Melvin Gerald Peterson of Alpharetta, Georgia passed away December 11, 2020 with his wife Jeri by his side. He was born on June 29, 1936 in Plummer, Minnesota to Edith (Berge) and Marvin Peterson. The first of five children, they lived in many towns in Minnesota before finally settling in Mentor, Minnesota. To his family he was called Gerald, to his friends, he was Pete or Mel. He graduated from Mentor High School in 1954 and then joined the United States Air Force in 1955 where he served as a fighter jet mechanic until he was honorably discharged in 1959. After the service, he went to school in Minneapolis at Dunwoody College of Technology where he received a degree in HVAC Engineering. He met his future wife, Geraldine (Jeri) Johnson, in Minneapolis and married her in 1964. They settled in Fridley, Minnesota where he worked for Sheraton Hotels. Their two children, Kristin and Rick, were born in Fridley before the family relocated to Columbus, Ohio where he worked for The Sheraton Ritz as a Chief Engineer and then the Holiday Inn Corporation as a Regional Engineer. In 1983 they moved to the Washington, DC area and settled in Springfield, Virginia. Mel worked for the Holiday Inn Corporate Office as a Regional Engineer until 1988 when he and Jeri moved to Memphis, Tennessee, to work for The Promus Hotel Corporation, then Hilton Hotels, as a Regional Engineer until he retired in 2000.
When he retired they bought a lot on Douglas Lake in Dandridge, Tennessee and built a house with a view of the Smoky Mountains. His greatest joy was having family and friends visit and taking them on boat rides around the lake. Every time there was a visitor, he would purchase new “toys” for them to use. His grandchildren, Katie and Ben, enjoyed the jet ski, golf cart, water trampoline, swim dock and all the other fun things that showed up when they visited. July 4th Boat Parades were especially fun on Douglas Lake where we decorated the pontoon every year. Despite our best efforts, we never won, but it still was the highlight of the Holiday.
Throughout his life, Mel enjoyed boating, hunting, fishing, and golf. An avid football fan, he loved watching his Minnesota Vikings, Tennessee Volunteers and Virginia Tech Hokies. He enjoyed his football and basketball games, and loved Pat Summit’s Lady Vols.
He had a real soft spot for all dogs. He had his own, but still took in neighborhood dogs that ended up at his house because he always gave them good treats. The dogs were always held in high regard and he took great joy in providing them with comfort and care.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Edith and Marvin Peterson, and his brother, Martin Peterson. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Geraldine (Jeri); daughter, Kristin Weger and her husband David of Alpharetta, GA; son, Rick Peterson of Springfield, VA; his two grandchildren, Katherine and Benjamin; his three sisters, Genevieve Aslakson, Carol Morberg and Julie Peterson; and six nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, December 16, 2020 at The Roswell Funeral Home, 950 Mansell Road, Roswell, Georgia. Visitation will begin at 2:00 pm and the service begins at 3:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Christ the King Lutheran Church, 5575 Peachtree Pkwy, Peachtree Corners, GA, 30092.
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