Wayne L. Peterson

Memorial visitation will be held at Wheatland Salem Church, 95th and Book Rd, Naperville, IL on Saturday, October 23, 2010 from 10:00AM until the time of service at 11:00AM. Wayne Leonard Peterson was born in Omaha, Nebraska in 1948 to Mildred and Leonard Peterson who farmed just outside of Plattsmouth Nebraska. There he joined his little sister Eileen soon to be followed by his sister Marla and brother Leslie. Wayne cherished his years growing up on the farm and talked of finding rats and snakes under the chickens when he had to gather eggs and about the animals he raised for 4H that they eventually ate, which was a part of farm life. He recently reminisced about how his brother Leslie insisted on turning the living room into Fort Apache. He dared anyone to touch one of his Calvary men launching himself at anyone who attempted to jump the fort to turn on the television. For his eight elementary years Wayne attended school in a one room school house and always said he was the dumbest and smartest in his class as he was often the only pupil in his grade. It was in this environment Wayne’s love of art was nurtured. After graduating from Plattsmouth High School in 1966 Wayne headed off to Wayne State College in Wayne, Nebraska. While there his concentration was in art instruction, business and, of course, girls. Wayne received a Bachelor of Arts in Education with a business minor with the intention of teaching art and business. While at Wayne State he met Susan Ballou and fell in love. In fact, their first date was to see his senior art show. She was instantly impressed. Wayne and Sue were married in 1971 and began their married life in Omaha, Nebraska. Wayne chose at that time to pursue business instead of teaching and he became a manager of a furniture department for JC Penney’s. However, art always influenced his life and he studied different mediums throughout the years. With that job the newlyweds moved to Des Moines, Iowa where Wayne eventually became a buyer for Pigeon’s Furniture traveling often to the Dallas and North Carolina Furniture Markets. While living in Des Moines Susan gave birth to their two sons Jay in 1976 and Adam in 1980. Wayne progressed in his buying career with successive moves to Omaha, Kansas City and Milwaukee. In 1986 the family finally settled in Bolingbrook, Illinois where Wayne began his dream job as an international accessory buyer for Spiegel Corporation traveling all over the world. In fact, on the day they moved into their house in Bolingbrook the airport limo and the moving van showed up at the same time and Wayne left for a month in China while Sue stayed home to settle in. Wayne promised Sue that if they moved the family to Chicago he would change jobs before he would move again as everyone was tired of their gypsy life caused by constant store mergers where the buying staff was the first to go. He was true to his word. They never moved again so the boys could grow up in one location. Within a few years, Wayne left the unstable buying field to enter the more stable management field. He then managed Homemaker’s stores in Orland Park and the North Shore for many years. When merger madness made management unstable he decided to become a sales consultant so that companies could change around him but he could always keep his job. This strategy worked well and although the jobs weren’t as challenging he was very happy without the stress. Wayne ended his career working as a sales consultant for Carson Pirie Scott Furniture for the past 9 years. Five years ago Wayne was diagnosed with colon cancer which had already spread to his liver. He realized that he wanted to leave a legacy to his sons so, with the help of his dear friend Chuck he started taking watercolor classes. He had a sign in his studio that said “so little time, so many things to paint” and up to the very end he was planning his very next painting. Thanks to everyone who brought their paintings to show some of his legacy, please enjoy the art show. In the last 5 years Wayne celebrated the marriage of Marjorie and Jay, the birth of his beloved grandson Joel. He delighted in the engagement of Adam to Trisha Varland and was very much looking forward to dancing at their wedding next August. Wayne is survived by his wife, Susan, his two sons Jay and Adam, his daughter-in-law Marjorie Best-Peterson, his grandson Joel Best-Peterson, and Adam’s fiancé Trisha Varland. He is also survived by his mother, mother-in law, a brother, a sister, four sisters-in-law and four brothers-in-law. He was the very proud uncle of 29 nephews and nieces and 41 great nephews and nieces and two great-greats. Wayne also cherished many, many friends. I want to close by recounting a cherished moment that Wayne had which typifies Wayne’s life. It was on the weekend of his last birthday where they hosted a dinner party for some close friends. It was one of those magical evenings where everyone was enjoying the food and wine, candlelight and conversation. Wayne told Sue that his leg went numb early in the evening but he was afraid to move to a more comfortable chair in case the ambiance changed and the party ended. He said that it was worth four days of limping so that he could store that precious memory. That was Wayne. He cherished his family and friends and he will be missed by all of us.

Wayne L. Peterson

October 20, 2010