Dean Hans Petersen, 77

Dean Hans Petersen, 77 years old, was led home to the Lord on Oct. 30, 2020, at his home in White City, Ore., after a battle with cancer. He was born Sept. 17, 1943, in Spokane, Wash. Dean was the son of Samuel and Hanna (Stevens) Petersen.

Dean spent his childhood in Wallace, Idaho, and the Hansy Mine near Loop Creek, Idaho; he attended and graduated from Wallace High School in 1961. After graduation, Dean attended the San Francisco College of Mortuary Science, where he graduated with honors receiving his degree in funeral science and became a licensed mortician in 1966.

Dean returned to the Silver Valley to first work at the Wallace Funeral Home, then the Kellogg Funeral Home and eventually formed a business partnership that formally established Shoshone Funeral Services in 1969. Shoshone Funeral Services operated Funeral Homes in both Wallace and Kellogg, Idaho, and he became the managing director. It was during his tenure, on May 2, 1972, that the Sunshine Mine Disaster occurred, tragically killing 91 miners in a single day. Dean, along with other Silver Valley business leaders, were instrumental in building the Sunshine Miners Memorial.

As an active member of the Kellogg business community, he was president of the Kellogg Chamber of Commerce, president of the Kellogg Rotary Club 246 and held multiple officer roles at the Kellogg Elks Lodge No. 1841. Dean remained managing director of Shoshone Funeral Services until 1983.

Dean married his soul mate and the love of his life, Margaret “Maggie” Shaw on Aug. 28, 1982, in Kellogg. For the next 30 years, Dean and Maggie embarked on many new and successful business ventures throughout North Idaho. Ultimately, his highly creative and visionary mind allowed him to excel in carpentry, woodworking, home remodeling and home construction. As the years passed, these hobbies became his passion and his life’s work. Dean was happiest when working on a project.

Dean is survived by his loving wife of 38 years, Margaret “Maggie” Petersen of the family home of White City, Ore.; sons Michael (Denise) Petersen of Richmond, Va., Blane (Sherrie) Petersen of Post Falls, Idaho, and Shawn (Sarah) Woods of Redmond, Ore.; siblings: brother Larry (Carol) Petersen of Medical Lake, Wash.; sisters: Jane (Rick) Orton of Meridian, Idaho, and Janet Petersen and Chris Guertner of Osburn, Idaho; grandsons: Trevor, Quintin and Seth of Richmond, Zach of Post Falls, and Cody and Carson of Redmond; granddaughters Macy and Alexi of Post Falls, Dara of Newport News, Va., and Ellie of Redmond; and great-grandchild Miles of Newport News.

Graveside memorial services will be held in July 2021; time and details will be announced in July.

Shoshone Funeral Services, Kellogg, is entrusted with local arrangements. You may share your memories of Dean and sign his guest book at www.shoshonefuneralservice.com.