A celebration of life for Marshall Alan Peterson, age 54 of Chadron will be Friday, January 19th at 10:00 a.m. at Chamberlain Chapel. We would love for people who attend the service to wear colors that represent one of his favorite sports teams (see teams below) or John Deer Green.
Marshall Alan Peterson was born in Owasso, Michigan on June 22, 1969 to Marsden and Marlys Peterson and passed away peacefully on January 14th at the Chadron Community Hospital.
At the age of 19 months Marshall contracted spinal meningitis which resulted in lifelong additional physical and mental needs. In spite of these challenges, Marshall was able to live a full and fun life thanks to his devoted family, both immediate and extended, as well many friends along the way who contributed to his care. He was able to live at home up until the spring of 2023.
Marshall lived life to its fullest. As a child, he loved his sandbox and would build roads, hills, and ponds using his Tonka trucks as dirt movers. He didn’t care if his pants got holes or his leg braces got dirty. His happy place was outside. Marshall started collecting aluminum cans at a young age and was proud of his wagon in which people would drop their bags of cans so Marshall could crush them and take them to be sold & recycled. As Marshall grew, he rode a 3-wheel bicycle around town collecting cans in the bike basket. Marshall attended LaGrange Public School in Wyoming and graduated in 1990 beside his younger sister, Marleta.
For several years after graduating, he worked at a sheltered workshop in Torrington, WY. Later in life when his parents moved to Hot Springs, SD, Marshall attended another sheltered workshop and held jobs at local businesses shredding papers and cleaning the bowling alley.
In 2006 Marshall and his parents moved from Hot Springs to Chadron, NE. After the passing of his father, his sister Marietta became his primary care provider. Eventually Marshall began working at the Office of Human Development in Chadron. He took pride in his job of cutting string to be bundled & sent off. He continued to enjoy shredding papers for people and collecting and selling aluminum cans. No matter the kind of job Marshall was able to do, he did it with precision and pride. Because the Peterson family traveled often in the summer, Marshall was able to experience many beautiful places and activities despite having challenged mobility. From Disney World to the Pacific Ocean in San Francisco, Marshall was able to see sites that brought him joy. One of his favorite experiences was the horse therapy program at East Point Horspice where, with the help of volunteers and a special saddle, he was able to confidently ride a horse each week throughout the summer. His therapy horse was named Touch and they made the perfect pair.
Marshall’s nieces were his pride and joy. Larissa, Mikaela and Moriah devoted much of their time both in their childhood and adulthood years helping care for Marshall as his in-home, day time healthcare providers as did Mikaela’s husband Tristan and Moriah’s husband Riley. Their experiences with Uncle Marsh built in them a compassion for other people with special needs. Marshall would talk about his nieces and their husbands often. When his great niece was born, he was tickled to have presents for her and they shared a love of horses. When it came to sports, Marshall faithfully followed the Minnesota Twins, Minnesota Vikings and the Denver Broncos (and nobody dared call them the Denver Donkeys!). The Kirby Puckett autographed baseball he got directly from the Twins became his favorite souvenir. On any given day, Marshall would likely be sporting a shirt or sweats repping one of his favorite teams. A few of Marshall’s other favorite things were Almond Joy Lattes and plain cake donuts from Daylight Donuts & other local coffee shops, chicken nuggets and fries, word searches, crossword puzzles, old cars and John Deer Tractors.
Marshall’s faith in Jesus Christ is what carried not only him, but his family, through some of his most challenging days of seizures, surgeries, and hospital stays. He was baptized in 2011 at First Baptist Church. Listening to and singing hymns brought Marshall great encouragement and comfort. His very favorite hymn was “The Old Rugged Cross.” Many lives have been touched because of Marshall’s loving personality and his courage to tackle life’s challenges head on with Christ as his strength.
Marshall was preceded in death by his father Marsden Peterson, grandparents Ben and Gladys Peterson & Boyd and Sally Nystrom, step-grandparents Harald and Hazel Martens, and cousin Greg Boltz. Those left behind to cherish sweet memories are his mother Marlys Peterson, older sister and faithful primary care provider Marietta Peterson, younger sister Marleta (Todd) Hastings all of Chadron. Nieces Larissa (Zac) White, Mikaela (Tristan) Stephenson, and Moriah (Riley) Schliep. He also has one great-niece, Jaydalee White. Special Aunts, Uncles and cousins who adored Marshall will miss him dearly. He also leaves behind many friends with whom he shared his sense of humor, smile, laugh and courage. In lieu of flowers, memorials have been established to East Point Horspice and First Baptist Church.