Emil was born June 19, 1913 in St. Paul to Fritjof and Frieda (Menge) Peterson. He was baptized in Emmanuel Ev. Lutheran Church July 17, 1913. His elementary education was received in Emmanuel Lutheran School. In the fall of 1932, Emil entered Concordia Theological Seminary, then located in Springfield, IL. He graduated from this institution in June of 1939 after having served his vicarage year in Institutional Mission Work in Cleveland, OH. During his graduating year he served Christ Ev. Lutheran Church in Waverly, IL. He was appointed full time pastor there until January 1940. Pastor Emil was then called to serve as assistant pastor to Pastor Adolph Ackermann who was serving Immanuel Ev. Lutheran Church in Mankato as well as serving as President of the Minnesota District of Wisconsin Ev. Lutheran Synod. He was ordained in Immanuel Church on Sunday, August 4, 1940. Pastor Emil was united in Holy Wedlock with Julia Eleanor Ziegler in Trinity Ev. Lutheran Church in Springfield, IL October 20, 1940. During his ministry in Mankato, he was active in organizing one of the first Sunday School Teacher's Institute in WELS synod. He served as Circuit Pastor for the Mankato conference. He was also a member of the Minnesota District Board of Education. St. Paul's congregation in St. James extended a call to Pastor Emil early in 1949. He was installed in St. James High School on February 20, 1949. He received his B.A. Degree in Education from Gustavus Adolophus College in June 1950. During his ministry in St. James the Lord granted inward and outward growth to the congregation. The entire physical facilities underwent a complete change. These changes included the building of a new church, parsonage, and educational unit. Pastor Emil served on the Dr. Martin Luther College Board of Control. He served as secretary and chairman of the Minnesota district Mission Board. He served on the Douglas County Committee on Aging as well as serving with the West Central Committee on Aging. Pastor Emil assisted in organizing the D.M.L.C. Ladies Auxiliary and served as first pastoral advisor for several years. He was also instrumental in organizing and serving as the first president for several years of the OWLS (senior group) branch of national organization in St. Paul's congregation in Alexandria. His ministry in St. Paul's in St. James was concluded in June 1978. Pastor Emil and his wife, Julia, moved to their new lake home on Lake Brophy in Alexandria. Julia proceeded him in death in September of 1983. The pastor continued to live there until fall of 1995. At that time he purchased a new home in Casa Grande, AZ. He moved there in early November 1995 and joined Grace Ev. Lutheran Church. In January of 2006 he moved to an assisted living facility in Saginaw, MI and joined St. Paul's Lutheran Church. Pastor Emil is survived by his three children and their spouses, Karen and David Lindemann of Milwaukee, WI, Karl and Debra Peterson of Casa Grande, and Kenric and Karen Peterson of Saginaw; brother, Donald G. Peterson of Mankato; seven grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren The family requests in lieu of flowers memorials to Michigan Lutheran Seminary, St. Pauls Lutheran School in Stevensville MI and Grace Lutheran Church in Milwaukee WI.
Visits: 0
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the
Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors