David Peterson 03/10/2026

David Glenn Peterson, 82, of Star Prairie, Wisconsin, passed away peacefully on March 10, 2026, at Regions Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota, after spending his final days surrounded by the family and friends he cherished. He leaves behind a legacy of family, faith, friendship and community that will not be forgotten.

Dave was born at the Baldwin Community Hospital on May 3, 1943 to Kenneth and Hilda Peterson. The family moved home to Star Prairie when Dave was a toddler and it was there, as a young boy, that Dave first met Carrie Anderson, the girl who would one day become the love of his life. What began as two local kids growing up together as best friends grew into a lifelong partnership. They married, settled down on Main Street, and built a life centered on their family, faith, and one another.

A lifelong resident of Star Prairie, Dave (a.k.a. ’Snuck’) was a man whose presence helped shape the town in countless ways. A strong leader and tireless volunteer, he believed deeply in giving back to the place he called home.

He was a founding member of the Star Prairie Lions Club, chartered in 1968. In its early years, he worked alongside fellow members to help establish the village park, pavilion, and baseball diamond- all projects that continue to serve generations of families.  River Island Park, as we know it today, was another project close to Dave’s heart (and home). As a child, he played there with friends, and as he grew, he spent countless hours casting for trout along the banks of the Apple River. What began as a place filled with childhood memories eventually became a shared dream among those same friends – one that grew into the lasting community treasure that we have now. His passion for conservation and community development endured throughout his life, including his work as a founding member of the Star Prairie Fish and Game Club. His leadership supported many local conservation efforts that benefit the area to this day.

Dave was a faithful man and a member of Bethany Lutheran Church, where he served on the church council. His faith and commitment to service guided much of his work in the community. His dedication to public service also led him to the St. Croix County Sheriff’s Department, where he proudly served in a variety of law-enforcement roles, including Sheriff’s Deputy, all contributing to the safety of the county and earning the respect of those he worked alongside.

During his years working for the Sheriff’s Department, Dave also carried forward a proud family business as the second-generation owner and operator of Dave’s Service Center for more than 5 decades, from 1963 until his retirement in 2019, when he proudly passed the keys to his oldest son, Tom.  Dave’s Service, or as some would call it- ‘the station” or “the shop”, was never just a business. It was always a gathering place where his cherished friends and customers stopped each morning for conversation, a story or two, a pot of coffee and plenty of laughter. In more recent years, his great-grandsons, Brooks and Walker, looked so forward to those special mornings at the shop and having “coffee with the guys”. However, we think Great-Grandpa Dave treasured those mornings even more.

Dave was also deeply involved in fraternal organizations, including the Order of the Eastern Star, the St. Croix Valley Shriners, and was a 50-year member of the NorthStar Masonic Lodge 187.

Outside of work and community service, Dave was a lifelong hunter and fisherman who loved spending time outdoors. Some of his favorite stories, always shared with a familiar twinkle in his eye, came from days spent in the woods and on the water.

Above all else, Dave’s greatest pride was his family. In his early days of fatherhood, he faithfully followed his kids to their sports and events, embracing their passions as his own. He looked back fondly on the moments he shared with them in the woods and on the lakes or rivers, just as his dad had done with him. He took great joy in seeing that same love for the outdoors reflected in his sons as they grew. In the years that followed, he hit the road once again, this time as ‘Grandpa’, to watch his grandchildren in many of their activities. He was the steady center of it all-a strong patriarch whose love and guidance shaped generations.  His pride in his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren was unwavering and unmistakable.

Dave was preceded in death by his parents, Kenneth and Hilda Peterson and many close friends and family.

He is lovingly survived by his wife, Carrie; his children: Tom (Candy) Peterson, Heidi (Chris) Newpower, Wendy (JR) Colvin, and Mike (Melanie) Peterson; his grandchildren: Ashley (Darren) O’Flanagan, Erin (Jack) Miller, Luke (Serena) Newpower, Wyatt (Catherine) Newpower, Morgan (Jack) Rogowski, Sam Newpower, Jenna Newpower, Adam Colvin, and Grace Colvin; and his great-grandchildren: Brooks and Walker O’Flanagan, Quinn Newpower, Nora Newpower, and Avery and Owen Miller.

In the days ahead, his spot at coffee will sit empty, and the morning conversations may feel a little quieter, but the stories Dave told, the laughter he shared and the work he did for Star Prairie will live on in the people and places he loved.

Dave was part of a generation that we are truly privileged to have known- a generation of family men who love this country, a generation of men invested in their hometowns and steadfast examples of what it means to live life with full purpose. There is so much to learn from the way he led his life, and so much we can carry forward into the generations to come. The parks he helped build will continue to fill with families. The woods and lakes he cherished will hold the quiet echoes of a life well lived. And the many lives he touched will carry a piece of him long into the future. That is the legacy any man would hope for, and Dave Peterson leaves it behind in abundance.

A Celebration of Dave’s Life was Sunday, March 22, 2026 from 12 – 4 pm with a Masonic Service at 4 pm at Bakken-Young Funeral & Cremation Services 728 S Knowles Avenue New Richmond, WI.  Interment was Sunday at 5:30 pm in West Immanuel Cemetery. Arrangements are with Bakken-Young Funeral & Cremation Services.