Gary Peterson, age 80, passed away suddenly from cardiac arrest on December 13, 2025, at his home in The Villages, Florida with his loving wife, Carolyn, by his side. Gary was born in La Crosse, Wisconsin, on August 14, 1945, to Leonard and Irene (Brose) Peterson. 

 

Upon graduation from Chippewa Falls High School in 1963, he enlisted in the Air Force to serve his country. After basic training at Lackland AFB in Texas, he was assigned to Kincheloe AFB in the upper peninsula of Michigan for two years followed by two years at Clark AFB in the Philippines where he was assigned to the Air Police K-9 division.  He was honorably discharged in 1967. 

 

Gary dedicated his life to a career of service to others. He joined the Eau Claire Police Department in May 1967 starting as an animal control warden quickly working his way up through the ranks as patrolman, dispatcher, division officer and ultimate to Sargeant before leaving the department in 1990 to further his career as Chief of University Police at UW-Platteville until his retirement in 1996. While he was with the Eau Claire Police Department, he was proud to have been assigned as the first School Resource Officer serving middle and high school students. He was instrumental in developing the program that provides students with direct access to a police officer in their normal daily activities, a program that still exists today.  

 

Gary was an exceptional marksman winning many shooting tournaments involving pistol and shotgun. He received top honors in his Air Police training school and was on the Class A and B competitive shooting teams with the police department competing at WPPA state shoots. For several years he was on three trap shooting teams at the Eau Claire Rod and Gun club.  

 

After retiring from law enforcement, he started his own company, North Country Investigations, and served as President until retiring a second time after 22 years as a Private Detective. Bored with retirement, he spent another seven years working for McRae US Mail delivering and picking up bulk mail at post offices throughout western Wisconsin including the Eau Claire area until his final retirement at the end of 2021.  

 

Gary enjoyed hunting and fishing. The stories told repeatedly were about the challenging hunting trips to Canada and family hunting trips out West. He fished competitively and was a founding member of the Indianhead Bass Masters-Eau Claire who designated him as an Honorary Life Member. He was also a Life Member of Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (BASS), Pheasants and Quail Forever, and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF). 

 

Gary was preceded in death by his parents and brother David. He is survived by his wife, son Dean (Susan), stepson Tom (Susan) Elliott, and sister Cheryl Juhnke. He is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and brother and sisters in-law. Gary was a kind and gentle man who was always there when someone needed help. He will be greatly missed by his family and many friends. 

 

A visitation and memorial service will be held on Saturday, May 23, 2026, at 11:30 at Stokes, Prock and Mundt Funeral Chapel in Altoona, Wisconsin. In lieu of flowers and other memorials, please make a donation in Gary’s memory to the Michael J Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research either online at [email protected] or by mail to the foundation at PO Box 5014, Hagerstown, MD 21741.