Lannes "Lanny" A. Peterson

Lannes “Lanny” Arlan Peterson, 78, of Park River, ND, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family and met his Savior on Sunday, August 24th.

Lanny was born on August 5, 1947, in Langdon, ND, to Stewart and Velva (Hill) Peterson. He grew up on a farm near Wales, ND, where he attended a one-room country schoolhouse taught by his mom before transitioning to Langdon. He then moved with his mom and siblings to Hillsboro, ND, for his middle school years before returning to the farm to live with his dad and attend high school in Langdon.

In his late teens he bought a guitar, a Fender Jazzmaster Sunburst, and taught himself by ear to play. His talent caught the attention of others, and in 1964 he met a group of musicians and they formed a band. For 17 years he played lead guitar with several bands – “The Atoms,” “The Driftwood Four,” “Sunlight,” and he also sat in with other bands at times.

In 1970, he was drafted into the US Army. He served stateside in Firefighting and Aircraft Crash Rescue and was injured during his time. After two years of service, he returned to Langdon where he worked different construction jobs and continued to play in the band. While playing with “Sunlight,” he met his future wife Joanne, and the two were united in marriage June 2, 1979. They made their home in Park River, ND. In the early 1980’s, Lanny started a construction business with his brother-in-law Rick. A self-taught craftsman and perfectionist in finishing work, he continued sharing his skills until 2021. Accomplished in his trade, he built homes from the ground up, shingled, remodeled rooms, poured concrete, and built beautiful fireplaces, cabinets, and trophy cases.

In 1981, Lanny and Joanne welcomed a daughter Natalie, and in 1983, a son Nathan. He loved his family dearly and taught them about God, taught them skill, how to build their character and instilled a strong work ethic. He spent much time video recording and taking pictures of their activities and adventures and would often say, “The Petersons always have fun on Saturdays.” His grandchildren, Matilda and Atticus, were two of his greatest joys in life. He created so many special moments with them playing dress-up and with toys, riding the four-wheeler, swinging, singing and dancing. He was blessed later in life to discover and visit with his other children and their families.

He gave his life to Christ, putting Him at the center of his family, relationships, and work. He shared the gospel at every opportunity, no matter stranger or friend. He prayed for others always and often blessed those in need. He had a fire for Christ, hands that served, a heart that loved, and a voice that shared the Gospel.

Lanny was one-of-a-kind; in fact, he referred to himself as a “rare species.” He had a unique sense of humor, loved to joke and make people laugh. There were so many things that brought him joy in life. He was an avid Folgers vanilla coffee, Barqs Rootbeer, DQ Moolatte, ice cream, and Hershey’s with almonds connoisseur. He enjoyed animals, especially his dog Peppi and his cats, that would follow him around. He would whistle and practice bird calls, the meadowlark being his favorite. He rode bike about 11 miles a day. He played guitar and harmonica, often entertaining his children and grandchildren – he appreciated songs with good bass and melodies. When not working, he spent countless hours outside where he enjoyed raking, shoveling snow and cleaning up the yard. He would often say, “I like to work hard.”

Lanny is survived by his wife Joanne, daughter Natalie (Jordan) Young of Fargo, ND, and son Nathan of Los Angeles, CA. He was also blessed by a daughter Taunya (Andrew) Borgen of Georgetown, MN, daughter Tonya Hanrahan of Hillsdale, IL, daughter Michelle (Howard) Hyatt of Yorba Linda, CA and son Roger (Missy) Stroh of Detroit Lakes, MN; grandchildren: Matilda and Atticus Young, Blaine (Amber) Borgen, Dalton and Shae Hanrahan, Olivia and Michael Hyatt, Alexandria Thoelke and Anna Stroh; great-grandchildren: Aden, Liam and Oliver; sisters: LaVon Peterson of Hockessin, DE and Marlene Hanson of Fargo, ND; special friends of the family: Bob, Jim, Kevin and Jerry Swenson, Patty Clark and Joey Kram; along with four nephews and one niece. He was preceded in death by his parents and brothers, Junior and Verle “Buddy” Peterson.

Funeral services will be Thursday, August 28, 2025 at 2:00 P.M. at the Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church, Park River, North Dakota. Visitation will be on Thursday from 12:30 -2:00 P.M. at the church. Interment will be at the Calvary Cemetery, Park River, North Dakota. Military Rites will be provided by the Park River American Legion Post and the North Dakota National Guard Honor Guard. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or First Care Health Center in Park River.