The following obituaries are from the Nov. 26, 2009 print edition of the Jordan Independent newspaper:

Pearl E. Peterson

Pearl Peterson, 99, of Jordan, died Sunday, Nov. 22, 2009 at St. Gertrude’s Heath Care Center in Shakopee.

Born in Spring Grove on Sept. 24, 1910, Mrs. Peterson was the daughter of Peter and Etta (Opheim) Bakken. She married Valgar Peterson on July 5, 1931, in Iowa. They moved to Jordan in 1941 where she cooked at the Hamburger Home Cafe and later at the Valley View Nursing Home until her retirement. Throughout her life she had an adventurist spirit. In 1926, during an airplane demonstration, she took a short flight with Charles Lindbergh. In her spare time and retirement she enjoyed gardening, embroidery and crossword puzzles.

She is survived by her daughter, Sandra Hessing of Belle Plaine; son, Kurt (June) Peterson of Phoenix, Ariz.; daughter-in-law, Doris Peterson of White Bear Lake; sister-in-law, Lucille Bakken of Jordan; eight grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Valgar; parents, Peter and Etta; son, Terry; grandson, Todd.

Funeral services will be Monday, Nov. 30, at 11 a.m. from the Wagner Funeral Home of Jordan with the Rev. Judy McEachran officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the funeral home on Monday. Burial will be at Spirit Hill Cemetery in Jordan. Pallbearers are Brian Hessing, Brad Hessing, Nancy Gould, Chris Peterson, Diann Seebach and David Bakken.

Arrangements provided by Wagner Funeral Home, Jordan, 952-492-3366.

William Henry Erickson

William “Bill” Erickson, 82, of Hastings and formerly of Jordan, passed away at his home Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009 after a 13-month battle with cancer. William Erickson

Bill was born April 7, 1927 in Jordan to Flora and August Erickson and resided in the same town through his high school years. After an early graduation, and toward the end of World War II, Bill served in the United States Navy and obtained the rank of Yeoman 3rd Class aboard the U.S.S. St. George.

Bill received his teaching degree from Mankato State College and later received a Master’s Degree from the University of Wisconsin–River Falls. He began his teaching career at Blue Earth High School and stayed one year. He went on to Hastings High School where he taught for 34 years. His specialty was Social Studies, but he also coached basketball and golf during his career. In 1959 Bill took the Hastings High School basketball team to their first Suburban Championship. In addition to teaching and coaching activities, Bill was also involved with the driver’s education program at the high school.

Bill was very active at his church, where he served on the board that built the new Methodist Church sanctuary in Hastings. He was talented in many areas and especially enjoyed the time spent with family and friends at their cabin in northern Minnesota that he built with his brother. After retirement, when not at his cabin, Bill and his wife enjoyed traveling to Hawaii, Arizona, and Washington.

Bill was preceded in death by his wife, Joanne; parents; and brother, Donald. He is survived by his daughter Pamela (Robert) Bolls of Richland, Wash., sister Madelyn of Plymouth; sister-in-law Delores of New Prague; three nephews; two nieces; and several great nieces and nephews.

A memorial service, officiated by the Rev. Chris Kneen, will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 2, at Hastings United Methodist Church, 615 W. Fifteenth St., Hastings, with a visitation one hour prior to the service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the United Methodist Church of Hastings, Allina Hospice, American Cancer Society, or donor’s choice.

Arrangements were made with the Caturia-Smidt Funeral Home of Hastings, 651-437-9419. www.caturia-smidtfh.com