Fredrick Daniel Peterson, 87, of Duluth, MN, passed away peacefully at home on April 25, 2020, surrounded by family. Fred was born in St. Paul, MN, on December 3, 1932, to Elsie and Elmer Peterson. The youngest of eight children in an active household, Fred was much loved and grew up watching his siblings serve his country during World War II. Dad took great pride in the fact that "not one of the Peterson family waited to be drafted into the armed forces of the United States." It was this early influence from his older siblings that inspired Dad to enlist in the United States Marine Corps, two months after high school graduation. For the rest of his days, Dad demonstrated his deep love of his country and instilled the importance of pride and patriotism in his own family. When Dad was a kid growing up in St. Paul, he took an interest in wild pigeons and soon trapped a few from the local park to bring home. His parents encouraged him and raising pigeons became Dad's new fun hobby, followed by the challenge of entering races. He delighted in telling us kids stories about the "early pigeon days," naming the various breeds and which ones were champions. When the Petersons moved to Duluth, the pigeons were left behind and times got tougher for the family during WWII. We were privileged to hear Dad tell many stories of the days when Nana sewed curtains and Grandpa bought and fixed up cars to make ends meet. Fred graduated from Central High School in 1950, already focused on his goal of joining the military and serving his country. It was on August 21, 1950, shortly after the start of the Korean War, that Dad enlisted in the US Marines. He was 17 years old. For the rest of his life, he never tired from talking about his beloved USMC and even gifted his family with a written journal detailing his experiences. Semper Fi Dad! After his service, Fred worked for the DM&IR Railroad as a clerk, switchman, brakeman, conductor and yardmaster from 1952 until he retired in 1986. He frequently would have to wake up at 2am to head out for work. Mom would fix him a delicious hot meal before he'd leave and then send him out the door with another one packed up to eat during his shift. Dad wrote about many of his railroad memories for us to have after his death - a treasure trove of details that he probably told us, but with a written record of them, now we can remember! We credit Dad's railroad career as the root cause of our family's shared love of trains. We'll never see another train without remembering our Dad. Fred was active in several organizations. He proudly served as the secretary/treasurer and legislative representative of UTU Lodge 475, Two Harbors, MN. He also participated in the Lake Avenue Loafers, the American Legion, the North Shore Racing Pigeon Association and the Reservoir Riders. Fred was a life member of Disabled American Veterans. In Dad's own words, he married "the most beautiful woman in the world," Yvonne (Vonnie) Marie (Hansen) on September 5, 1953. Mom was petite, pretty and smart. Dad could easily pick her up if he wanted to (and sometimes he did!). Our strong Mom always stood by him as the roller coaster life they shared unfolded over their 66 years of marriage. They raised four kids and then delighted in being grandma and grandpa (GGSota) to a multitude of grandkids and great-grandkids. Of all the gifts Dad gave, without a doubt his love for Mom and family (Family First) is his legacy. This love was instilled in us all and will always be with us. This life tribute would not be complete without mention of our family's ever-expanding menagerie. Dad, a master craftsman who could construct stunningly perfect furniture and was among the finest of finish carpenters on the planet, spent many hours building rabbit hutches, guinea pig cages, a pigeon coop (for himself) and even a horse barn, for the many pets we kids would bring home. Dad could always be counted on to provide appropriate critter housing and though we may have taken it for granted at the time, we recognized later how fortunate we were. We always had a family dog (frequently a labrador) and then in 1964, the first rodent (hamster) moved in. It was the beginning of our family's lifelong fascination with pets. Just to name a few, we had three "Finnish" chickens (Eno, Toivo and Sulu), colorful chameleons (why?), a lonesome duck, and two gorgeous horses that lived in our suburban backyard behind Dad's pigeon coop. Yes, he still loved pigeons and was a weekend racer, winning trophies and cultivating his birds with a passion. Without a doubt, animals of all shapes and sizes were a huge part of our childhoods. More fond memories: When the grandkids were young, they loved hanging out at the cabin with "G and G" taking leisurely pontoon rides, steaming saunas and fishing with Gramps on Little Alden Lake. The abundance of water toys he had in his shed was amazing! Grandpa had endless patience for dragging young and old around the lake on an inflatable raft that he towed behind his boat. Screams of glee by those hanging on for dear life to the raft were often heard echoing across the water. Later in life, Fred and Vonnie enjoyed many cruises to Europe and South America. Dad also wanted to see Nova Scotia (as his Dad had always told him about it) and also Alaska - and so these places were visited and preserved in photo albums for younger generations. Fred was preceded in death by his parents; grandson, Benjamin Peterson Merrill; brothers, Ralph, Curtis, James, Elroy and Edward; sisters, Verle and Doris; and several nephews. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Vonnie; his children Pamela Sue (David) White of Grapeview, WA, Lynn Marie (Dane) Youngblom, Daniel Fredrick Peterson and Kristen Merle (Mark) Norrell, all of Duluth; 13 grandchildren; 9 great-grandchildren; plus one great-grandson arriving in a few weeks. A celebration of his life will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Disabled American Veterans, Chapter 6, 4602 Grand Avenue, Duluth MN 55807. Thank you for your support.