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Norman

Norman D. Peters

NORMAN D. PETERS

Norman (Pete) Peters died on June 16, 2020.  He was born on November 11, 1931 in Carroll, Iowa, the only child of Henry and Gladys Dozark Peters.  He was raised in Lake View, Iowa, and graduated from Lake View High School in 1949.  He then moved to Omaha, Nebraska where he worked at a radio school for about a year and a half.

In March of 1951 he enlisted in the US Air Force.  In 1954 he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant and assigned to SAC at Lockbourne AFB in Columbus, Ohio.  In 1960 he transferred to the Air Training Command at Randolph AFB, Texas, to become an instructor pilot.  He was then assigned to Webb where he soloed the first student in the new air force T38 Talon.  Among his students were Andy Love and Daniel James Jr. who later became generals.

In 1965 he was assigned to Vietnam as a Forward Air Controller and flew out of the old imperial capital of Hue.  Upon his return from Vietnam he returned to instructor status at Williams AFB in Chandler, AZ.

He married Marcella Tharnish at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Auburn, Iowa, on December 28, 1966.

He retired from the Air Force in 1971 and then flew mail for Valley National Bank for two years.  He then became the Chief Building Inspector for the City of Chandler and retired from that position 20 years later.

After his retirement he and Marcella traveled to Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Tahiti, Europe, and extensively throughout the United States.  The family enjoyed camping and hiking trips around Arizona and in later years spent each summer at their cabin in Heber.

Pete was an avid hunter and looked forward to his hunting trips with friends to Texas, Colorado and the White Mountains of Arizona.  He was also a voracious reader particularly of military history and current affairs. His hobby was building model air planes and over the years, built over 500 models.

He is survived by his wife, Marcella, his two daughters and son-in laws, Lisa and Jack Hemphill and Christine and Kipp Bane and four grandchildren, Xander and Arwen Hemphill and Caitlyn and Karaline Bane.

A Celebration of Life is planned for later this Fall.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Norman D. Peters, please visit our flower store.

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