Henry 'Hank' A. Peterson

LONDONDERRY, N.H. - Henry "Hank" A. Peterson, of Londonderry, passed away on Dec. 23, 2015.

He was born on June 15, 1932, in Hurley, Wis., son of John "JB" Peterson and Gertrud (Matila) Peterson. He grew up on the family farm and attended school in Hurley.

Hank was a member of the Wisconsin National Guard for 14 years, in the 725th Engineer Battalion. He worked on the Ski Patrol at Sugar Bowl Ski Area in California, and for the Forest Service in the summers, fighting wildland fires. Hank also worked in the developing field of avalanche control and safety, traveling to Alaska, Utah, California, British Colombia and Chile. In Chile, his job was to teach the Chilean Army how to shoot down avalanches with artillery.

In 1962 he married Anne Kaiser Davis of Brockton, Mass. They settled in Lakewood, Colo. While he lived in Lakewood he worked for Snowblast, a commercial snow removal company specializing in airports and railways. His job there took him back to Alaska, all over the continental U.S., and to Turkey, Switzerland and India.

In 1978, the family moved to Londonderry. Here Hank got back into farming, raising beef cows, putting up hay in the summer, working at Mack's Apples in the fall harvest season and sugaring at Peterson Sugar House in the spring time. He continued a long family tradition of being a Grange member, and was Master there from the mid-80s until his death. His steadfast support of the Grange carried it through a period of declining membership to see the organization reinvigorated in recent years. He was a fixture at the spring plant sale and the fall wreath sale. He was very grateful for all the hard work put into maintaining the building by Boy Scout Troop 521.

Peterson Sugar House was built in 1983, and hosted countless tours of school children from Londonderry and surrounding towns. He was ably assisted over the years by his family and a loyal crew that would turn out every spring to tap, gather, boil and can during the rush of sugaring season. The syrup was sold at the farm, as well as at Mack's Apples, where he will be fondly remembered by all his friends.

Hank was a strong supporter of the NH Maple Producers Association, serving as the Secretary and President over the years. He was inducted into the American Maple Museum Hall of Fame in Croghan, N.Y., in 2005. Hank cut and baled hay both on the farm on Peabody Row, on neighbors' fields, and around town. You could often see him driving down the road on a red tractor, moving hay equipment from one field to another during the summer months, or hauling a towering load home on his truck, usually with a trailer towed behind, as well. He was a longtime Farm Bureau member and a big supporter of New Hampshire Agriculture in the Classroom, a program to teach school children about where their food, fuel, and fiber come from.

Hank is survived by his wife, Anne; son, Wayne; as well as his brother, John G. Peterson, of Ironwood, Mich .; sister, Helen Peterson, of Ironwood; stepbrother, Dennis Nolan, of Duluth, Minn .; stepsister, Jean Martin, of Duluth; nephews, Todd Peterson, of Denver, Scott Peterson, of Hurley, Wis., Clint Peterson, of Vail, Colo., and Nicholas Peterson, of Vail; nieces, Nan Peterson, of Madison, Wis., and Chris Peterson, of Madison.

He was preceded in death by his brother, Richard Peterson, of Vail; and stepbrother, Jack Nolan, of Ironwood.

Services will be held in early spring in Londonderry and in Hurley. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to NH Agriculture in the Classroom, c/o Debbie Cox, 295 Sheep Davis Road, Concord, NH 03301.