Daniel John Peters

Dan Peters, 82, of West Branch. Dan, formerly of Rippey, Ft. Dodge and Humboldt died at his rural West Branch home. He is survived by his children: Kathy Jensen (George) of Waukee; David Peters (Shari) of Humboldt; Jane Ericson (Ron) of Pueblo West, CO; Donna Peters of Lakewood, CO; Julie Georgiou of Denver, CO; and Dr. Doug Peters (Ann) of Burlington. Funeral Services will be at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, August 29, 2019 at the Rippey United Methodist Church. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service. Burial will be in the Rippey Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to anything benefiting Rippey. Daniel was born, John Daniel on December 21, 1936, in Carroll County, on the Launspach's farm near Lanesboro, Iowa, to Roger and Mary Catherine (Finn) Gilligan. And died August 22, 2019 on an acreage near West Branch, Iowa at the age of 82 years, 8 months, and 1 day. Dan's funeral was held at 11:00 a.m. Thursday, August 29, 2019, at the First United Methodist Church, Rippey, Iowa, with the Church's Pastor Rev. Paul Burrow officiating. The honorary casket bearer was Neil Ericson. The casket bearers were Shannon VanHorn, T.J. VanHorn, Josh Peters, Tyler Jensen, Jessica Ericson, Nick Rhame, Abby Peters, and Jake Peters. Elta Summerson was pianist and Dick Bardole sang Amazing Grace and In the Garden. Dan's son Doug Peters sang, O' Danny Boy and every one sang Take Me Out to the Ballgame. His burial was made in the Rippey Cemetery. He was born into an Irish family and had eight brothers and sisters: William, Anna, Gertrude, Catherine, Roger, David, Pauline, and Michael. Dan, at the age of five years, was placed in a home in Grand Junction along with four other siblings. In 1942, when Dan was 6 years old, he was sent to live with Jake and Wilmuth Peters of Rippey. When Dan turned 21 he was adopted by Jake and Wilmuth. In the Rippey school system, Dan enjoyed sports and excelled in basketball and baseball. Dan was one of the starting 5 seniors that took their undefeated basketball team to the Iowa Boys State Basketball tournaments; Rippey had not been to the State Basketball tournament since 1925. Dan was recognized as the top Rippey player for most points, and placed on the IDPA Honor roll for one of the high scorers in basketball for the State of Iowa. He also stayed busy with band and played the trombone, achieving a Division 1 in State Music contests. Dan enjoyed singing bass in chorus and mixed double quartette. He loved driving his 1940 Ford, "Gone With The Wind" was his favorite movie. He enjoyed Glen Miller bands and his favorite song was "Stardust." Dan graduated with the class of 1955. Dan and Karen Louise Cain had their first date in April of his junior year. In June after high school he was one of the three boys chosen out of 60 in Marshalltown, Iowa during a baseball camp try-out, which the Milwaukee Braves sponsored. He then went to Milwaukee, Wisconsin to try out as a catcher with the Milwaukee Braves Baseball team. After try-outs, Dan was the first one signed by the Milwaukee Braves, to a 1956 contract with the Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Class "C" club. Dan returned to Iowa and decided to attend Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa. He had planned to major in Physical Education, but was introduced to a lab class that changed his mind and major to Medical Laboratory Technologist. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Medical Laboratory Technology. On January 20, 1958, Dan married his childhood sweetheart, Karen Louise Cain. Dan worked at Lutheran Hospital and St. Joseph Mercy Hospitals in Sioux City. While living in Sioux City; Kathy, David, Jane, Donna and Julie were born. In 1964 Dan was offered the job as Chief Medical Technologist at Mercy Hospital in Fort Dodge, Iowa, where Doug was born. Then Dan became the head of the Laboratory Department in Humboldt County Hospital. Dan began riding and showing Tennessee Walking horses after he moved the family to Humboldt, Iowa. In 1984, Dan and Karen were divorced and he married Jan Peterson in 1991. Dan and Jan moved near West Branch, Iowa, where Dan worked at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City until he retired. In November of 2000 Dan had to have open heart surgery to have an aortic valve repair and a three vessel coronary artery bypass graft and was also diagnosed with Diabetes. Jan and Dan enjoyed traveling to Apache Junction, Arizona where they rode their horses on the trails. In 2011, Jan passed away. Dan also enjoyed attending the University of Iowa football and basketball games with his family. On August 22, 2019 Daniel passed away at his home in West Branch, Iowa at the age of 82. Dan was preceded in death by his birth parents, adopted parents Jake and Wilmuth, wife Jan, the mother of his children Karen, grandson Neil Ericson, brothers and sisters: William (Wanda) Gilligan, Anna (Monty) Thor, Gertrude (Jerry) Naber, Catherine (Donald) Thomas, Roger E. Gilligan, Pauline (David) Schuessler, Dan is survived by his children: Kathy Jensen (George) of Waukee, IA; David (Shari) of Humboldt, IA; Jane Ericson (Ron) of Pueblo West, CO; Donna Peters of Lakewood, CO; Julie Georgiou of Denver, CO; and Doug Peters (Ann) of Burlington, IA; foster brother Lloyd (Helen) DeMoss and foster sister Sheila Burdett: precious grandchildren; Tyler Jensen; Colton Jensen; Joshua Peters; Nicholas Rhame; Jacob Peters; Shannon Van Horn (T.J.); Ashley Jensen; Jessica Ericson; and Abby Peters; brothers David (Jean) Gilligan and Michael Gilligan both of Mountain Home, AR; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins; other relatives and many, many friends. Memorials to anything to benefit Rippey, and may be sent to Hastings Funeral Home, Box 204, 1417 2nd St. Perry, Iowa 50220 hastings@minburncomm.ne www.hastingsfuneralplan2.com 515 465-4691 Cemetery Details Rippey Cemetery, Rippey, IA