Robert Henry Peterson (1918)

Born 14 Sep 1918 in Conrad, Pondera County, Montana

Ancestors

Descendants

Died [date unknown] in San Diego, California

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Leila Tweed [send private message]

Biography

Bob's sister. Betty Jewell Peterson asked her sister's and brothers to write a biography about themselves. The following is the biography written by Bob Peterson on June 6, 1992.

Dear Sister, I have been turning over your request to write a story based on the wanderings and experiences of one who fits the description of a black sheet, looking back and trying to analyze my achievements presents a sorry picture of mistakes, ignorance, bullheadedness, and lots of unearned luck, which without which I would be a homeless derelict today.

Luck held when dad said I didn't own any cattle, I left home, I was separated from family, cast out, alone, bitter, angry. That led to the Navy where a new personality and life style and profession was stamped on my carrier. The Navy decided to teach me about electric hydraulics and sent me to Washington DC, lottery system, luck again, led to an easy safe billet on a repair ship, safe from the Jap war machine.

While at school I met and married Dorsey, tremendous good luck, she was far better than I deserved, that gave me some stability. It did not change the stubbornness or stupidity that I am famous for. It is my fault that we broke up, she has my respect and love to this day, I know that had I been of the same quality as uncle Fred or Bob Wolk we would never have parted.

That led to the luck of the war in Vietnam, a nice safe job at double the pay and chance to repair some hart damage, I met a lady of strength, honesty, and purpose, someone who needed me, as I needed her. She forces me to be realistic, to finish the job, we fight and argue and she wins. She takes care of what is hers, and that includes me, as it should be. I cannot walk out and she wouldn't, no matter what.

I am just realizing that the end of the road is not too far away, the opportunity to be rich has beckoned many times, I have ignored the lure, preferring to be unencumbered with things, now with a home and family dependent I am like a ship with it's anchor down and no power to lift it. I realize that it is a good thing, that to try to escape to freedom would end in destruction, we see it all around, those of us who defied convention are smashed. Mai will keep me safe, if I let her.

That is why I don't want to write a story that would be read by someone who may think that the world is an oyster, to be opened and devoured. To live today you must follow th rules, even as I refuse to do to this day. My battle with the IRS while it is absolutely honest and correct and necessary is self destructive.

There is no way I can write a honest story of my life that can change or hide my failures, I am what I am, I'm Popeye the sailor man.

Yours sincerely RHP Love, Bob

Sources

Biography of Bob Peterson, provided by Roberta Jean Wolk-Wakely, on a visit to Dennis Booth, April 9, 2015

Sources

• Dennis A Booth, brother-in-law, as remembered on December 31, 2014.