Ralph August Peterson

Ralph A. Peterson, 100 years and 2 days, passed away Saturday, Jan. 22, 2011 at Deaconess Hospital in Spokane. Funeral services will be conducted 11:00AM, Saturday, Jan. 29, 2011 at Coffelt Funeral Service, with Pastor Dave Olson, officiating. Private interment will take place in Westmond Cemetery. Ralph was born Jan. 20, 1911 in Nine Mile Falls, WA the son of Swan and Anna Peterson. He was raised in Spokane and attended schools until serving as a printer’s apprentice. On Sept. 2, 1937 he married Edith Elmgreen in Spokane and they have celebrated 73 years together. He worked as a printer in Spokane, at the Sandpoint News Bulletin, and the Selkirk Press. He delivered the Nickel’s Worth for 25 years until he was 90 years old. Ralph was a long time member of First Lutheran Church in Sandpoint, and the typographical union. Ralph enjoyed working, as evidenced by working until he was 90, gardening, fishing, camping, and huckleberry picking. Ralph is survived by his wife; 3 children: Elaine (Brian) Stephens of Colbert, WA, Karen (John) Finney of Tacoma, WA, Cheryl (Hal) of Sagle, ID; 6 grandchildren, 7 great grandchildren; 1 sister-in-law: Esther Peterson of Pullman, WA. He was preceded in death by 3 brothers and 4 sisters.