FOREST CITY — Vernon L. Peterson, 83, of Forest City, died Thursday, August 20, 2026, at the Good Samaritan Society in Forest City surrounded by his family.
A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, August 28, at United Methodist Church, 305 South Clark Street in Forest City, with Pastor Les Green and Rachel Eggum Cinader officiating.
Visitation will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, August 27, at Schott Funeral Home, 505 North Clark Street in Forest City. Visitation will continue for one hour before Friday’s service at the church.
Burial of cremains will take place at a later date at Memorial Park Cemetery in Mason City.
Vernon was born January 27, 1943, in Lake Mills to Perdean and Elnora Holland Peterson. He was the third of six children and grew up in Lake Mills, where he attended school and Salem Lutheran Church.
In his younger years, Vern enjoyed spending time at pool halls and roller skating rinks. Family stories remembered him as an especially talented skater who frequented rinks in Lake Mills, Clear Lake and Forest City.
He also had a fondness for cars, including a 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air that remained memorable to him decades later.
Vern met Bonnie Brown in Forest City, and the couple married February 3, 1962, in Mason City.
They raised three children — Diane, Steve and Dan — and made Forest City their longtime home. The house they purchased in 1969 remained their home for 57 years and was sold just days before Vern’s death.
Vern began his working career at Schnebly’s Phillips 66 before moving into recreational vehicle manufacturing.
He worked for Kayot Forester for about 10 years before beginning what became a 32-year career with Winnebago Industries.
Known as “Pete” by many of his coworkers, Vern took pride in working with his hands and spent years assisting customers with their motorhomes in Winnebago’s customer service operation.
He later served as assistant parts manager, where his work brought him into contact with customers from across the country and led to many lasting friendships.
Even after moving into management duties, Vern eventually chose to return to hands-on work for the final years of his career.
He retired from Winnebago in 2004 after 32 years with the company and later spent time giving tours to Winnebago visitors.
Travel and camping were among Vern’s favorite activities.
When his children were young, family vacations often involved pop-up campers. Later, Vern and Bonnie traveled in a variety of Winnebago motorhomes.
Favorite trips included fall visits to the Mississippi River and apple orchards, a journey to Alaska and visits to Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada.
Vern especially enjoyed following the activities of his grandchildren and taking them on outings, including trips to pumpkin patches in the motorhome.
Family remained a central part of his life, and he took great pride in his grandchildren, great-grandchildren and growing extended family.
Vern is survived by his wife of 64 years, Bonnie Peterson; children Diane Schaefer of Mason City, Steve Peterson and his wife, Cindy, of Forest City, and Dan Peterson and his wife, Kelly, of Altoona.
His grandchildren include Miranda Kirby and her husband, Brock; Jameson Wieden and his wife, Kennedy; Alex Peterson and his wife, Sophia; Drew Peterson; Quinten Peterson; Ali Sundermann and her husband, Alec; Jason Schaefer and his wife, Caitlin; and Christine Barber and her husband, Ed.
He is also survived by numerous great-grandchildren and a great-great-grandson; his sister, Beverly Steffensen and her husband, Dennis; brother, Dennis Peterson and his wife, Sandi; sister-in-law Frances Peterson; brother-in-law Russ Schnebly; many nieces and nephews; longtime friends Everett and Joan Holmgren; and his cat, Tiger.
Vern was preceded in death by his parents; his siblings, Roger Peterson, Ilene Schnebly and Sharon Peterson; son-in-law Gary Schaefer; several nieces and nephews; and other members of his extended family.
The family expressed its appreciation to the staff of the Good Samaritan Society in Forest City and St. Croix Hospice in Mason City, as well as longtime neighbors who helped Vern and Bonnie while they continued living at home.
Memorials may be directed to St. Croix Hospice, the American Heart Association or Forest City United Methodist Church.
Schott Funeral Home of Forest City is handling arrangements. To read more and see the full obituary, please click here.
NorthIowaToday.com publishes remembrance stories free of charge for families and funeral homes. Obituary information may be submitted to NorthIowaToday.com by email.