FeedsWayne mourns longtime officer
Willard ‘Pete’ Peterson spent his entire career in the City of Wayne.
A life-long resident, he believed in living where he worked, according to his wife, Lillian.
“He loved Wayne,” she said, “and he loved his job.”
Mr. Peterson, a 25-year veteran of the Wayne Police Department, died on July 14.
“He’ll be missed,” said retired Wayne Police Capt. Bill Whitworth. “We hate to lose our old officers.”
Peterson went to work at the Wayne Police Department on Aug. 8, 1959. He retired on Aug. 17, 1984 as a lieutenant. He spent his entire career in the traffic bureau.
“I never saw him upset at anyone,” Whitworth said. “If he didn’t like what you were doing, he told you up front, but he didn’t get upset.”
Whitworth met Peterson shortly after he started to work at Wayne. Whitworth started as a firefighter in 1963 and transferred to the police department in 1966. In the detective bureau, his office was across the hall from Peterson’s.
“He was a very good officer,” Whitworth said. “He always very thorough and he didn’t leave any stone unturned.
Mr. Peterson was always constantly advancing his own education, attending schools and seminars whenever he could.
“When he left, he was probably the most educated officer we ever had,” he said.
Mr. Peterson is survived by his wife, Lillian; son, Derrick; daughters, Tonya and Gina, and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He is also survived by two sons, Chuck and Tracy and two daughters, Kim and Teresa, from his first marriage; one brother, and two sisters.
