Peter Olaf Gilbertson

Peter Olaf Gilbertson Peter Olaf Gilbertson, age 94 of the Ingleside Nursing Home in Mount Horeb, formerly of Blanchardville, died on Thursday evening, February 18, 2010 at the Ingleside Nursing Home. He was born on April 7, 1915 in Madison, the oldest son of George Perry and Hildegard Valentine (Knudsen) Gilbertson. When Peter was quite young, he, his parents, and his older sister joined his father George's parents in operating the family farm near Blanchardville. Peter attended and graduated from the Yellowstone school, a one-room rural school in Lafayette County, Wisconsin, and was confirmed at the Yellowstone Lutheran Church in the Blanchardville-Argyle area. Peter entered the US Army on October 10, 1942, joining the 1490th Engineering Maintenance Company. He served during World War II in Orlando, Florida, and Kessler Field in Biloxi, Mississippi before going to the Philippines. He was discharged on February 12, 1946. For the greater part of his life he assisted his parents on the family farm and received his mechanical training form his father who owned and operated his own car/machine garage on the farm. Peter served for years as a personal mechanic for many of the area farmers, working on their tractors, farm equipment and vehicles. He enjoyed hunting coon and fox and trapping skunks, muskrats and mink. He especially enjoyed his fishing trips to northern Wisconsin, Minnesota and Canada as well as fishing the local lakes and streams. When his health began failing he enjoyed spending his winter months traveling in his camper in Arizona and Texas. He loved country and western music and heard that many of his favorite stars have "headed into the sunset" in the last few years. He was a kind, self-giving person who devoted much time to helping people in need. He was always quick to provide suggestions in healing people through the use of herbs and old home remedies. He especially enjoyed his nieces, nephews and cousins, and enjoyed showing "city" youngsters what life on the farm was all about. Peter is survived by his sister, Mildred Burchik of Madison; nephews Joseph Jr., Daniel Burchik, and Ernest O. Gilbertson Jr.; niece Sharon Zindars (and her son Michael (Rochelle) and their daughters Madelyn & Sophia); nephew James Paley (and his daughters Marsha (Daniel) Hart (and their child Aaron) and Deborah Van Swoll) and his son Jeffrey (Mira) Paley (and their child Rebekah) and many other living relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents; his sister Emma Ahrens, her husband Lester, and their daughter Shirley Paley; two brothers, Ernest Gilbertson and his wife Arlene, and Arnold Gilbertson and his wife Janice; his brother-in-law Joseph Burchik and his nephew Norman Syse. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, February 23, 2010 at 11:00 AM at the Yellowstone Lutheran Church in the rural Blanchardville-Argyle area. Rev. Dan Bohlman of that church will officiate. Burial will be in the Yellowstone Lutheran Church Cemetery. Friends may call Tuesday morning from 10:00 AM until the time of service at the church. The Saether Funeral Home in Blanchardville is assisting the family. Online memories and condolences can be shared with the family at www.saetherfuneralhome.com. Saether Funeral Home Blanchardville, WI 608-523-4247