Delbert Wright Peterson

Delbert Wright Peterson passed away peacefully at his home July 8. 2025. He was born in Woods Cross Utah on June 12, 1934 the second son of Winnie Lavaun Wright Peterson and Glen Wood Peterson in an area named for his great-great grandfather – Daniel Wood.

His father worked at Cudahy Meat and farmed a 16 acre parcel. Delbert grew and started school at the South Davis County School there. As land was expensive and difficult to come by, his father and others explored the area where the Owyhee Dam had put water on the desert in the Snake River Valley in Eastern Oregon. When Delbert was 9 they moved to Nyssa Oregon where his family had purchased an 80 acre farm, 12 milk cows, and 2 teams of horses to work the farm. Sons in the family were a ready source of labor and labor they did. When his father helped him purchase a car it was mostly so he could work on the farm later in the mornings and still get to school on time and get home earlier to start chores.

Delbert had a great farm life with lots of livestock. He had prize winning Chester White pigs and sold lots of prize winning pigs for 4-H and FFA projects along with his Grand Champion Jersey cows. He earned many ribbons. Conveniently, he shared some projects with a neighbor across the road – West Beus. West was the older brother of a very interesting girl, Olive Beus. Delbert and Olive went through school together. They attended all the same church and school activities. They both attended BYU after graduation. He lived in what is known to all of our generations as the “House of Misery.” But his roommates were lifelong friends so it is hard to take the name seriously.

In 1954 the Korean War was ongoing and Delbert was 1A acceptable and was expected to be called up. Mission calls were limited during these years. Delbert and Olive were engaged when they learned he was cleared from the draft. They were married November 18, 1954 in the Idaho Falls Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Born a farmer – that was the desire of Delbert’s heart and he proved to be a great one. Partnering with Olive’s brother West Beus and her father Ersel Beus they farmed in Nyssa Oregon, Othello Washington, Greenville Michigan, and Hyder Arizona. Along the way Olive and Delbert raised a family of 5 daughters. Diana (Craig) Tanner – Phoenix Arizona, Debi (Bud) Harrison – Murrieta, California, Shana (Jeff) Davis – Sandy Utah, Kris (Mark) Ketring – Gilbert Arizona, and Natalie (John) Hunt – Gilbert Arizona. They moved off of the farm in 1973 to buy an Exxon Service Station in Phoenix where they spent 25 years serving the people of Arizona. They lived in and beautified many homes along the way. A beautiful yard with red geraniums was always a signature of their home.

After 25 years in the service station business, Delbert began a company that hauled sand and gravel and later powder cement to Rock Solid in Tempe. Delbert and Olive loved and grew that business as they had the others.

Olive and Delbert’s lives were filled with devoted service to the gospel of Jesus Christ. During these years Delbert served in bishoprics and as bishop multiple times including with the young single adults. Olive was beside him each time serving and inviting and ensuring all were welcome. Hard workers and talented organizers, they were utilized wherever they went. Serving together as ordinance workers in the Mesa Arizona and Gilbert Arizona temples was the crowning assignment of their lives. Olive and Delbert served a mission in their local area. They were senior missionaries tasked with handling all the housing arrangements for the many missionaries of the Arizona Tempe Mission. They loved their missionaries. At the conclusion of their missionary service they were gifted a solemn written pledge from their 170 missionaries that they would each make their beds every day for the rest of their lives.

Faithful and true – Delbert departs mortality as a strong link in the chain of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and devotion to His gospel. Delbert is preceded in death by his parents Winnie Lavaun Wright Peterson and Glen Wood Peterson, a precious grandson Johnathan Delbert Hunt, his brothers Farrell Peterson, Dean Peterson, and his sister June Peterson Vaughn. He is survived by his beloved wife of over 70 years, Olive Beus Peterson, his sisters DeeAnn Peterson Turner and Kathy Peterson Pratt, his brothers Dale and John Peterson, their 5 daughters and their husbands and grandchildren: Elder Peterson Hunt, Elder Anderson Hunt, Macy (Tyler) Jameson, Carter Davis, Bennett Davis, Keenan Davis, David (Melissa) Ketring, Karsyn (Holden) Bigelow, Taani (Ryan) Secrist, Tristen (Ken) Lawrence, Tenille (Remington) Roylance, Kevin (Lauren) Harrison, Kyle (Kalin) Harrison, Jasey (Jeremy) Capron, Bethany (Casey) Johansen, Shay (Gunnar) Bergeson, Shelby (Nick) May, McKay (Courtney) Tanner. And a healthy crop of 37 great grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday July 15th at the Tempe West Stake Center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1050 W. Grove Parkway, Tempe, Arizona. Visitation 8:30 -9:45 AM. Service 10 AM. Interment will follow at Mesa Cemetery at 12 PM. Service provided by Bunker Family Funeral Homes, 3529 E. University Drive, Mesa, Arizona 85201

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Arrangements by Bunker’s University Chapel, www.bunkerfuneral.com. Should this obituary appear anywhere but bunkerfuneral.com, please check our website for accurate details and service information.