William D. Peterson

William D. Peterson, 64, of Columbus, WI passed away on Saturday, November 5, 2022 at his family’s hunting property doing what he loved – pheasant hunting.

William was born on January 5, 1958 in Tucson, AZ and was raised by his parents Dennis and Mary (Tanguay) Peterson.  Bill was married to Joyce Smith on June 26, 1982 in Richland, WA.

Bill was a man of God, a man of many interests, and he enjoyed learning everything there was to know.  It was once said that if you ask him what time it is, he will tell you how watches are made.

He was an avid outdoorsman and surely lived the life of “Nanook” in his dreams.  He loved deer hunting, pheasant hunting, turkey hunting and fishing, as well as camping, boating, scuba diving, golfing, biking, and multiple other sports … and to him the best part of all these activities was the time he spent with others.

Bill’s ability to converse with all kinds of people naturally led him to a career in sales; first in cars (another great love), and then in aviation (and another great love). That career led him all around the world and blessed him with life-long experiences and friendships.

But the greatest love of his life was his family.

He adored his children.  He instilled strong values while teaching them to reach for their dreams.  He loved the journey of watching them grow and supporting them along the way.  His children will continue to hear his voice of encouragement and his dad jokes.

Bill and Joyce met in high school, and his love for her grew stronger with every day.  He was an extremely devoted and supportive husband and provided a life rich in love and adventure.

He cherished his Mom, his brothers and sister, his nieces and nephews, his grandchildren, his cousins and his friends.  They meant the world to him, each in their very own special way.

Bill touched the lives of many with his big laugh, his adventurous spirit, and his willingness to help others.  Today we walk away knowing that he lived a wonderful life and he truly loved us.  May he rest in peace.

Bill is survived by his wife of 40 years, Joyce; his children: Bradley (Bailey) Peterson of Colorado Springs, CO, Colleen Peterson of Colorado Springs, CO, and Kendall (Emily) Peterson of Chesapeake, VA; his mother Mary Peterson of Wenatchee, WA; four grandchildren: Brooke, Brett, Benjamin, and Dakota; three siblings: Michael (Jill) Peterson of Las Vegas, NV, Cheryl (Chip) Peterson of Citronelle, AL, and Tony (Mischel) Peterson of Los Angeles, CA; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his father Dennis and his brother Steven Peterson.

A visitation will be held at the Koepsell-Murray Funeral Home in Beaver Dam on Monday, November 14, 2022 from 11 a.m. until the time of the funeral service at 1 p.m.

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