Jack Lee Peterson

Jack Lee Peterson

April 8, 1933 – March 23, 2025

Jack Lee Peterson Sr. was born in a two-room house on the East side of Ignorant Ridge near Warner, Oklahoma on April 8, 1933, and was a proud citizen of the Cherokee Nation. He spent his early years on his family’s Cherokee allotment, then moving to Snyder, Oklahoma with his parents as a small child.  Some of his first memories were sitting on a cotton sack in the field while his mother picked cotton.  He graduated from Snyder High School.

Jack met the love of his life, Neva Joyce Hawkins from Frederick, OK, on a double-date, afterwards telling his friend “That’s the girl I’m going to marry.” They were married the same year on May 13, 1952, at the First Baptist Church in Cache, OK.  Jack joined the Navy later that year. Their first child, Jack Jr. was born in 1953, then Shelby in 1956, and Stacy in 1959.  They were married for nearly 72 years when Neva passed in 2024.

Most of their 20-year Navy life was stationed in Washington, D.C., also living in Manassas, VA, Gainesville, VA, Alameda, CA, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and San Diego, CA. Jack was deployed overseas early in his Navy career during both the Korean and Vietnam Wars. He served on both the USS Bon Homme Richard and the USS Midway.  Subsequently, he worked for many years in Naval Intelligence. He retired from the Navy as a Chief Petty Officer.

While in San Diego, Jack joined the United States Postal Service, completed his master’s degree in business, and went on to become the Postmaster of Holbrook, AZ and then Cortez, CO.  His working motto was “To be average scares the hell out of me,” which he kept framed on his office wall.  After 20 years Jack retired from the Postal Service. He and Neva returned to reside in Oklahoma, living in the same house in Edmond for over 35 years.

Jack and Neva opened their hearts and home over the years to all of their grandchildren to spend school breaks, creating a close bond. They were especially close with their grandson, Seth, who lived with them starting in his freshman year at North High School in Edmond.

Jack had a love of driving and being on the road, revisiting his favorite cities and restaurants with Neva and their grandkids on memorable road trips. Jack and Neva made many life-long friends in their travels, keeping in touch over the years. Jack was always quick to smile and laugh, with a good joke and a story to tell.

Jack was most proud of the love he and Neva shared. Jack would often recount the stories of their early years together and he believed that his love for Neva was his motivation for all his life’s accomplishments.

Jack is preceded in death by his wife, Neva; parents Martin Peterson and Lena Littlefield; sisters Mozella Miller and Louise Hamilton, and daughter, Shelby Peterson.

He leaves to cherish his memory, children, Jack Peterson, Jr. and spouse, Vicky, and Stacy Peterson, grandchildren, Daniel Peterson and spouse, Jennifer, Joshua Peterson and spouse, Candice, Jessica Romeo and spouse, Ty Mullen, Seth Rushin and spouse, Steffanie, Mikaela Peterson, Michael Romeo and spouse, Sherida, Jacob Peterson, and Katie Lewis, and eighteen great grandchildren.

A Celebration of Jack’s Life will be held at Matthews Funeral Home Chapel on April 8, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. Interment will follow at at 3:00 p.m. at the Frederick Memorial Cemetery, 18045 County Road NS 220, Frederick, Oklahoma 73542.