Merlin Johnson Peterson

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Merlin J. Peterson

Merlin Johnson Peterson, 90, died Wednesday, January 25, 2012, due to incidence of age. He was born Sept. 20, 1921, in Preston, ID to Peter Arthur and Jennie Laura Johnson Peterson.

On June 5, 1959, he married Percia White in the Logan LDS Temple. She died Dec. 13, 2005.

He was blind since infancy and attended the Idaho School for the Blind in Gooding, ID. He was very proud of his farming heritage and loved caring for the animals on the farm. He worked for the war effort making radio tubes at the Defense Depot in Ogden. He worked at Wonder Bakery for several years. He received his Associate''s degree from Weber State College and Bachelor''s degree from Utah State University. He taught music at the Utah School for the Deaf and Blind in Ogden for over 28 years sharing his love of music with his students. He was a member of the LDS Church where he held many positions during his life including Gospel Doctrine teacher and member of the High Priest group presidency. He was interested in language and spoke several foreign languages including Spanish, German, Italian and French. He enjoyed being a ham-radio operator and built his own transmitting and receiving radio sets for sending Morse code. He played several instruments including the trumpet, saxophone and piano. He began to play the trumpet at five years old. He was in many bands playing for hundreds of dances over the years and sung at many funerals and functions throughout Utah. Surviving are his daughter, Maureen (Ross) Williams of Riverdale; sister, J. Lucille Rene of St George; daughter-in-law, Lisa Peterson of Ogden; one granddaughter and three great-grandchildren.

Merlin was preceded in death by his parents, four brothers; wife, Percia; son, Weston M. Peterson and daughter, Anita J. Peterson.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, January 28, 2012 at 3 p.m. at Lindquist''s Ogden Mortuary, 3408 Washington Blvd. Friends may visit family on Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 1:45 to 2:45 p.m. at the mortuary. Interment, Roy City Cemetery.

Special thanks to the Gardens Assisted Living and Alpine Hospice for their kindness and care.