Douglas Harold Peterson

Douglas Harold Peterson, 78, of Deerwood, passed away on February 12, 2026 in St. Paul, Minnesota, after a short illness.

Douglas was born on October 23, 1947 in Crosby, Minnesota. He met Louise Hendrickson in 1973. They married in 1975 and had two children, Ivy and Guy, to whom they were devoted and endlessly adoring parents. Doug owned and operated Peterson Shoe Repair (“The Shoe Shop") in Crosby for many years, before going to work in maintenance at Cuyuna Range Medical Center until he retired.

Sober for 42 years, Douglas considered himself a grateful recovering alcoholic and embodied the core tenets of the 12 Steps: unity, recovery, and most importantly, service. He was tirelessly of service to others and a pillar of the recovery community.

Music was one of Douglas’s greatest passions. He was a gifted guitarist and vocalist, and he played in numerous ensembles, including with Louise, his sister Ruth, and many others. For 15 years, he led the music at Sunday Mass at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church and at the CRMC Care Center chapel. He also led the music at the Cuyuna Range Recovery Service at Cascade United Methodist Church and performed at countless weddings, funerals, and festivals. Some of his favorite musicians were Bob Dylan, Cat Stevens, The Grateful Dead, Willie Nelson, Mary Gauthier, and anything on KAXE Public Radio.

Douglas touched many people’s lives. He led by example and showed us all how to be happy, joyous, and free.

He was preceded in death by his father, Harold; his mother, Ruth; his beloved wife, Louise; and his beloved dog, Jack Bowow. He is survived by daughter Ivy, son Guy, son-in-law Kyle, sisters Ruth and Carolyn, and nephew Dan, as well as many, many friends and fellows.

In lieu of flowers, please consider watching a good movie based on a true story, attending a Minnesota Lynx Game, or striving to be selflessly of service in your community.

A celebration of Doug’s life will be held on Saturday, March 14, 2026 at the Cascade United Methodist Church in Deerwood from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. with sharing of memories at 2:00 p.m. Arrangements are with the Koop Funeral Home in Crosby.