Chad Michael Peterson

Chad Michael Peterson, 43, our beloved husband, father, son, brother, uncle and friend died in Milaca, Minnesota on Thursday morning October 29, 2009 from injuries he sustained in a tractor accident. He was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota on January 24, 1966. In 1984, he graduated from Burnsville High School and in 1992 received a B.A. degree in fine arts from the College of Associated Arts in St. Paul, MN. While attending art school, Chad and his father owned and operated Rodcraft, a fly-fishing and custom rod building shop in Richfield, Minnesota. He shared his love and enthusiasm for the outdoors with all who knew him. He applied his artistic skills to the outdoors as an outdoor artist and illustrator. He was a noted fly-tier and fly fisherman and taught numerous people the art of fly-fishing. One of his walleye paintings can be found on the steering wheels of Lund fishing boats and another was displayed on Minnesota billboards for Lund. His attention to detail was exceptional. Chad met his true love Jennifer (Gregory) Peterson in the summer of 1998. They were married on a ranch in Montana August 19, 2000. Their dream to move out west was realized when Chad and his family moved to Gillette, WY in July 2001. Chad's many talents included wild game and fish cookery. He could fix, repair and build just about anything. Featured in an article on stay-at-home dads in the Gillette News Record on Father's Day 2008, he was the best father and husband. Youth and faith became a focus for Chad, evident in his coaching the Rec Center youth hockey program in Gillette from 2005-2009 as well as serving as a youth group leader at High Plains Community Church. He was also active in Gillette's Single Action Shooters Society (Cowboy Action Shooters), holding the name Cheatin’ Chester. Chad and his family moved from Gillette, WY to Milaca, Minnesota in the summer of 2009, where he became the proud owner of a farm, intent on becoming a farmer. Chad gave 110% of himself in everything, living life to its fullest. He was rarely without a smile and loved to tell stories. His passion for wildlife conservation was obvious. He took his love of the outdoors to Hawaii where he was able to hunt Axis deer and to rescue a sea turtle caught in a fishing line while scuba diving. He was a true mountain man and our knight in shining camouflage. Chad is preceded in death by his chocolate lab, Tasha, who was a fellow hunting partner, fishing shop mascot and his best friend and is survived by his wife (Jennifer), children (Everett (8), Wyatt (6), and Garrett (2)), parents (Joanie (Larry) Bastien and David (Marie) Peterson), sister and brother-in-law (Michele Peterson and Kenneth Hanley), nephew (Lucas (8)) and niece (Emily (6)). Services will be held at the High Plains Community Church in Gillette, Wyoming on Wednesday, November 3, 2009 at 10:00 am. A Chad Peterson Memorial Fund has been established at the Bank of Gillette, PO Box 699, Gillette, WY, 82111. This fund will be used to help provide hunting and fishing opportunities in Wyoming for children and adults with special needs.