Cover photo for James Peterson's Obituary
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James

James Peterson

d. June 11, 2015

CELEBRATION OF LIFE:

12:30 - 3:30 p.m. on Saturday June 27, 2015, at the Main Lodge of the Beaver Creek Reserve, S1 County Rd K, Fall Creek, WI 54742.

James M. "Jim" Peterson, 70, of the town of Lafayette, Chippewa Falls, died at his home on Thursday, June 11, 2015.

Jim was born on October 13, 1944, in Hayward, WI to Henry and Susan (Teschler) Peterson. He graduated from Hayward High School. He especially enjoyed conducting "chemistry science experiments" and writing for local newspapers. After his parents' deaths, he was inducted into the US Army on February 14, 1967, and served until his honorable discharge on January 20, 1969. He was a Vietnam combat veteran who supported the causes of peace after his experiences of war.

He received his bachelor's and master's degrees in psychology from the University of Wisconsin, Madison and achieved his PhD in Educational Psychology there in 1979. Jim taught classes in psychology and statistics when he was a graduate student and later taught at UW - Milwaukee, UW - Superior, and St. Scholastica in Duluth. In 1986, he accepted a psychologist position at Northern Wisconsin Center and worked there for two years.

On July 23, 1988, he married Carla (ne Hilgenberg) at the historic Gates of Heaven Synagogue in James Madison Park in Madison, WI. Later that year he took a position as a psychologist for the Clark County Health Care Center, assessing and creating individual treatment programs for people with developmental disabilities and/or mental illness. He joined the Wisconsin Department of Corrections in 1993, doing assessments and providing consultation to Corrections staff in their work with criminal offenders. After retiring from Corrections he established his own consulting business where he specialized in forensic psychology. His consultation was sought by attorneys throughout the state, and he developed a wide reputation as a skilled evaluator and statistician.

Jim is survived by his wife, Carla; sons, John Jacobsen (Eden Rosenbush) and Jeremy Jacobsen (Sheila Cronin); granddaughter, Jemma Jacobsen; and other relatives and friends. He will be greatly missed, and lovingly remembered. He was a kind, gentle man with a great sense of humor, good conversation and openness to a wide variety of people. He loved the outdoors, the sounds of nature, and what he called "tractorvating." He was an amateur photographer of nature scenes, birds, his dogs, and flowers.

He was preceded in death by his parents; Henry and Susan; and dear dogs, Olie, Gus and Honey.

A Celebration of Life will be held on June 27, 2015, from 12:30 - 3:30 pm at the Main Lodge of the Beaver Creek Reserve, S1 County Rd K, Fall Creek, WI 54742.

To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of James Peterson, please visit our flower store.

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