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Brian W. Peterson, age 69, passed away Tuesday May 26, 2015. Brian was born in Racine on January 9, 1946, son of the late Richard and Dolores (nee: Ziolkowski) Peterson Sr., and was a lifelong resident.
He attended Washington Park High School “Class of 1965”. On August 30, 1980, Brian was united in marriage to Mardelle D. Sisco. He was employed at Webster Electric/Danfoss for thirty seven years until their closing, and then at Grove Gear in Union Grove until his retirement in 2008. He then went on to work Part-Time at Gentile Olds in Racine as a shuttle driver while he waited for Mardelle to retire. In his spare time, Brian loved the outdoors, the yard he created at his home and feeding the birds. He enjoyed his time at his trailer at Plymouth Rock Campground, his road trips to casinos, and his numerous travels to Jamaica, Cancun, the Smokie Mountains in Gatlinburg, TN, Key West, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, South Dakota and many other road trips. Brian loved conversing with everybody, and liked to give people a hard time when it came to politics and the Packers.
Brian will be dearly missed by his loving wife of nearly thirty five years, Mardelle; son, James (Lisa) Peterson of Silver Lake; daughter, Cindi (Keith) Brown of Racine; grandchildren, Ashlee Peterson, Tyler Peterson, Sanae Brown, K.J. Brown; great grandchildren, Leonna Peterson and Craig Mors; brother-in-law, Charles (Gerry) Sisco of Frankfort, KY, Gordon (Bernice) Korn of Sturtevant, Robert (Charlotte) Korn of South Milwaukee; longtime mother figure and friend, Elsie Howard of Racine; Special friends, Mike Holland, Troy Hickman, Joe Razdik, and Randy Saltys, nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. In addition to his parents, Brian was also preceded in death by his step-mother, Diane Peterson, brother, Richard L. Peterson, Jr., mother-in-law, and father-in-law, Harold and Evelyn (nee: Van De Loop) Sisco.
Memorial services will be held at the funeral home Friday June 5, 2015, 6:00 p.m. Relatives and friends may meet with the funeral home on Friday from 4:00 p.m. until time of service at 6:00. Private interment will be held at West Lawn Memorial Park.
The family extends a special thank you to Dr. Mullane and all his staff, and Dr. Hamadani and all the Froedtert Medical Staff for doing all possible.
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Kathleen Sidwell (Smullen)
Brian was one of the "regulars" of the Dynasty breakfast group that has met on Wednesday mornings. I was told that only about a year ago, Brian had gone to his Doctor for a checkup and received the surprising news of his diagnosis of Leukemia. He and his wife, Mardelle, did whatever they could do to halt the disease. He spent his last birthday in January preparing for the bone marrow transplant. With a few setbacks all went well. I think it was in April that Brian resumed the breakfast meetings with the "regulars". In early May things took a different course. Thank you to Mardelle for all of the updates regarding Brian's journey and progress. Whitey, we will miss you!
Kenneth Michael Holland
I was lucky to be able to visit with Brian just a few days before he passed away. I was leaving for Sarasota, Florida the next day and unfortunately when I left his room at Froedtert Hospital that was the last time I would see him. I told Brian to "hang in there" and that I would be back to see him again in early August for our 50th Class Reunion. He said, "okay Buddyboy I'll see you then." Brian and I met during the summer of 1954 and we became friends immediately. I had lived in Clearwater, Florida for almost a year while I was in third grade and my parents decided to move back to Racine just before I started 4th grade. Brian lived just two doors down from me and that's how our friendship began. It was during that first summer that he introduced me to cigarettes and we had a grand old time. The movie "Stand By Me" reminded me of our childhood and the carefree life we enjoyed as kids growing up. Brian was a year older than me so he was the first to get his driver's license and that opened up a whole new world for us. Scooping downtown, drive-ins, double dates and then the beer bars when we were 18. Growing up back then couldn't have gotten any better then that. We weren't considered the studious types, that's for sure, but we knew how to have fun and get into trouble and we did our share of both. I could go on with an endless number of stories but I'd briefly like to relate just one..... Brian had a beautiful burgandy 1965 Pontiac GTO. Just before he was to get married to his first wife Linda he was drag racing downtown one afternoon, on 6th Street in Racine, lost control trying to avoid hitting another car and wound up crashing through the front display window of Ala Rugs. Brian wasn't hurt luckily except for his pride. He lost his license then and he and Linda went on their honeymoon up to the Dell's in the comfort of a Greyhound bus. Years passed and for a time after I got married Brian and I lost contact with one another. It wasn't until 1998, shortly after I'd gotten divorced, that we happened to reconnect. Brian was now married to Mardelle. Our friendship quickly redeveloped and we became close friends once again. When he told me just a year ago that he had cancer I was stunned. This past year had been rough on both Brian and Mardelle but it appeared that the worst was over and he was doing as well as could be expected after his bone marrow transplant. Then just a little over three weeks ago his health took a turn for the worst and sadly he never recovered. When Mardelle called to tell me that "she had lost Brian" I just couldn't believe it. He was a great guy and a dear close friend and if you knew him you couln't help but like him. He lived life on his terms and I admired him for that. He had a wonderful companion in his wife Mardelle and I am deeply saddened for her loss. I am honored to say that we were good pals for nearly 60 years and I have some wonderful memories to cherish for the rest of my life. I'm going to miss you buddy. I hope you are in a good place. Mike Holland
Richard L Rodgers
Altough I didn't know Brian very well I would like to extend to his family my prayers and sympathy at this time of their loss. May he rest in peace and rise in glory,
Msgr. Richard L. Rodgers
Leslie Sell (Nielsen)
It is definitely our loss with the passing of Brian and his wonderful smile and
spirit, but the party just got better in Heaven. My tears are of joy knowing you
are now pain free and your family will be consoled in knowing how much others
loved and cared about you. Rest in Peace friend.