Obituary of John Peterson

Karl John Peterson, 74, a resident of Fort Miller Rd., passed away Wednesday, January 3, 2024, at his home surrounded by his family.

John was born September 24, 1949, in Carlinville, IL and was the son of the late Karl and Amber (Heinzel) Peterson.

John moved to Orchard Park, NY as a kid where he enjoyed a wonderful childhood surrounded by many friends. During these years, he developed his love for the Buffalo Bills and fondly remembered going to games at War Memorial Stadium. In his teenage years, his family moved to Sands Point, NY and then on to Chicago, IL where he graduated from Lake Forest Academy. He was a graduate of Middlebury College in VT where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Economics.  After graduation, he worked as a caretaker on a farm in VT before joining Equitable/AXA where he worked until retirement in 2017.

John loved old movies, was an avid reader, and could always be counted on to know historical facts. He enjoyed skiing, cycling, golf, and spending quality time with his family.  He was a great father. He never missed any of his sons’ high school sports games and was always available to assist with any of his sons’ projects around their homes.

John and Jan’s beautiful home on the Hudson River in Fort Miller is his legacy.  It was an old tavern built in the 1750’s using timbers from the French and Indian War fort from which the hamlet of Fort Miller gets its name. When they purchased the house in 1985 it had been neglected for several years. He spent the subsequent 38+ years working on it until the day before he went into the hospital in October.

Survivors include his wife of 33 years, Jan Peterson of Fort Miller; his two sons, Greg (Lauren) Peterson of Saratoga Springs and Karl (Amelia) Peterson of Fort Miller; sister Ann (David) Dawson; sister-in-law Jackie Adler (Mike Cully); many nieces and nephews; and his beloved pets Digby and Rex.

A private service will be held at the house in the spring. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Lucky Puppy (www.theluckypuppy.org) in his name, where he planned to volunteer after finishing renovating the kitchen.