Eugene “Gene” Thomas Peterson, 81, of Deming passed away on Saturday September 23, 2023 in the comfort of his home to be with his Lord.

A memorial service will be celebrated for Gene on Thursday, October 12, 2023 at 11 o’clock in the morning at the First United Methodist Church in Deming. Pastor Koreen Guillermo will officiate. Military Honors will be accorded by the United States Air Force. Cremation has been entrusted to Baca’s Mimbres Crematory.

Gene was born August 26, 1942 in Fort Dodge, Iowa to Russell & Edna Peterson. He graduated from Fort Dodge High School in 1960. Gene is a veteran of the United States Air Force where he was stationed in Hawaii for 3 years. His career after the Air Force started with Northwestern Bell & later transferred to AT&T. He was united in marriage to Joyce Anderson October 19, 1968. He worked in Des Moines & Humboldt with Northwestern Bell & transferred to AT&T in Storm Lake & later transferred to Elk Horn, Iowa. Elk Horn is a Danish community that brought a windmill over from Denmark. Gene was on the Danish Windmill board & was instrumental in helping restore the mill & traveling to Virginia to help the millwright with the restoration.

Gene also was on the city council in Elk Horn & worked with improving streets & sidewalks. In 1999 Gene & Joyce moved to Carlsbad, New Mexico for his job. Gene retired at the age of 57. He & Joyce enjoyed full time RVing after retirement for 7 years & had various parttime jobs in campgrounds. They moved to Deming, New Mexico in 2006. Yearly they spent 6 months in Quartzsite, AZ & 6 months in Deming. Gene enjoyed riding ATVs & hiking in the desert. Gene loved trains & enjoyed riding the steam train in Durango, CO & the Cumbres Toltec train between Antonito, CO & Chama, NM. He also enjoyed creating model train layouts in HO & Garden gauge. He had several layouts in both Quartsite & Deming. He enjoyed making buildings out of Lego kits to go alongside his train layouts. He put together thousands of Lego bricks into buildings & motorized equipment.

Gene is survived by his wife Joyce Peterson of Deming; son Mike Peterson of Topeka, KS, and daughter Kim (Mark) Grabill of Monroe, IA; a sister Ruth Neville of Odebolt, IA; 2 grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and many other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents Russell and Edna Peterson.

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