LTC Keith R. Peterson

LTC Keith R. Peterson, USAF (Ret.), devoted husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, and public servant, was born in Davenport, Iowa, in 1930. After attending St. Ambrose College in Davenport, he enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1951 during the Korean War. That November, he entered the Aviation Cadet Pilot Training program and received his commission as a Second Lieutenant and his pilot wings on December 19, 1952.

On December 27, just days after graduation, he married Dorothy Dolphin of Maquoketa, Iowa. They were married for more than 70 years. Dorothy preceded him in death.

During his Air Force career, LTC Peterson flew a wide variety of aircraft, including the F-80, T-33, multiple models of the F-86, F-101B, F-105, C-47, and C-131. He served in fighter squadrons across the United States and Europe for two decades, with assignments that also took him to Africa and Southeast Asia. Following his service in Southeast Asia, he was assigned to the Command Center at Air Force Alternate Headquarters, Maxwell Air Force Base, Montgomery, Alabama, and later to the Air Force Operations Center at the Pentagon. He retired in 1975 after 24 years of active duty.

After retiring from the Air Force, he continued his federal service as an operations and plans officer with the Federal Emergency Management Agency. During the Cold War, he developed and managed a minimum attack warning helicopter evacuation program for presidential successors. He also oversaw FEMA operations centers at headquarters in Washington, D.C.; the underground facility at Mount Weather; and the National Warning Center in Cheyenne Mountain near Colorado Springs. He retired in 1993, concluding a 43-year career in federal service.

Keith converted to Catholicism when he married Dorothy and both were very active in the church wherever they were stationed. Locally, he volunteered at St. Ambrose, St. Phillips, and Mt. Tabor. He was the videographer and sound man while Dorothy was the organist and choir director. He also offered his expertise on church projects, both indoors and out.

Our Dad, Keith, was an avid gardener, landscaper, woodworker, bird lover, and a lifelong fisherman. Dad loved his family dearly. He would begin every toast at holidays with, “Mom and I are so lucky to have the greatest bunch of kids.” He was a positive influence on all of us. He was always kind and his cheerfulness and enthusiasm were contagious. He will be in our hearts forever.

Keith is survived by his children, Chris (Dave) Umberger, Charlotte Peterson (Kurt Heinonen), Jill (Dave) Huff, and Keith (Haleh) Peterson, Jr., and his grandchildren Pierce Umberger, Dillon (Elizabeth) Umberger, Kate Heinonen (Katie Mount), Sam Huff, Jaimis Huff (Brendan) Flynn, and great-grandchildren, Jack and Giovanni Flynn

in Lieu of flowers, preferred memorial donations are to the Alzheimer’s Foundation, https://alzfdn.org/