More detail on this person: Franklin Garner "Bud" Peterson left this earth to be with his beautiful and beloved wife Joan, Monday September 18th, 2017 at 84 years old. Bud was born in Mobeetie, TX and spent his childhood in West Texas. He moved to Lovington, NM in 1949 where he graduated high school. He then moved to Las Cruces where he attended what was then New Mexico A&M and earned a degree in Agriculture and was commissioned into the United States Army as a 2nd Lieutenant through ROTC and then into the US Army Corps of Engineers. He married his love Joan in September 1955 and in 1956 attended the Basic Officer's Training School at Ft. Belvoir, VA. After graduating he was selected for aviation flight school in San Marcus, TX where he learned to fly L-19 fixed wing aircraft. In 1957, he went to helicopter flight school at Camp Walters, KS. He served two tours in Vietnam, and was shot down over enemy territory where he and his crew were rescued by another helicopter flown by his friend. He had over 5500 hours in Army helicopters and fixed wing aircraft, including single, twin engine and float planes in Alaska. In 1962, he and Joan adopted their son, Robby and in 1964 they adopted their daughter, Becky. His 23 1/2-year military career included tours of service in Libya, Thailand, Holland, Virginia, Texas, Kansas, Vietnam, Colorado, Washington, Alaska and Alabama. After their tour at AFCENT The Netherlands, Bud retired at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel out of Ft. Bliss, TX in November 1978. Bud earned many prestigious medals including the Air Medal and Meritorious Service Award. Perhaps his most memorable assignment was that of Liaison Officer, escorting General Omar Bradley, the last living 5 star general and his wife while at Ft. Bliss. After retiring from the Army, Bud began a distinguished 23-year real estate career. He became a Broker in 1984, serving on many committees with the Las Cruces Board of Realtors earning Realtor of the Year in 1984. He was elected President of the local board in 1986, President Elect in 1985 and Director in 1987. He served as District Vice President for the State of New Mexico, Secretary-Treasurer in 1988, 1st Vice President in 1989, President Elect in 1990 and State President in 1991. He received Realtor of the Year for CRS NM Chapter in 1990. His shining moment was when he was awarded the Las Cruces Board of Realtors Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014. Bud was a compassionate man who could make friends with anyone he met within minutes of meeting them. His honesty and integrity, coupled with an unmatched work ethic garnered him his successes in both the United States Army and as a Realtor in Las Cruces. He loved his God, his family and country and was an active member of the First Baptist Church as a Deacon and served on the Finance Committee. He is preceded in death by his loving wife Joan, brother Martin Peterson and grandson Christopher Bales, and survived by his son Robert (wife AnneMarie), daughter Rebecca (husband Peter), brother Mike and sisters Shirley Davenport, Jean Peterson and Kay Cloud, and granddaughters Alexandra and Cassidy Peterson and Sarah Bales. A private burial will be held at Ft Bliss National Cemetery with military honors, and the memorial service will be held Friday, October 27th at 10:00am at the First Baptist Church in Las Cruces. The family asks that in lieu of flowers you donate to the Christopher T. Bales Memorial Endowed Scholarship Fund, Rogue Community College Foundation, 3345 Redwood Highway, Grants Pass, OR 97527-9298 (541) 956-7327. Arrangements are with Getz Funeral Home 1410 E. Bowman Ave., Las Cruces NM 88001. Please visit www.GetzCares.com to sign the local online guest book.
Burial information: Fort Bliss National Cemetery, El Paso, Texas
This information was last updated 09/21/2017
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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024
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