The funeral service Saturday for Ralph H. Peterson at First Lutheran Church may remind many area people of the many contributions this retired lawyer made to area life during his 67 years as an Albert Lea resident.

In fact, one of those legacies is part of the schedule today for television station KAAL. At 10 a.m. this station will continue to telecast “Peace and Power” directly from Albert Lea’s First Lutheran Church. This telecast started in January 1979 when he and Bob Bonnerup thought this would be a good way to have worship services available for folks who couldn’t make it to church. A family member said Peterson and his wife paid for the first 10 telecasts, plus additional financial assistance as needed through the years. This program is reportedly very popular for viewing in southern Minnesota and northern Iowa retirement homes.

Another of his legacies was Lea College. This school was organized on Feb. 9, 1964, as Mid-Continent College Corp. with Peterson as chairman. The actual start with classes came the following year. During its sadly short history the college started with a dormitory in the former Hotel Albert and offices in the Morlea Dairy building on North Broadway Avenue, now Southern Minnesota Legal Services.

The campus soon evolved near Lake Chapeau west of the city. This move resulted in a new dormitory, Christopherson Hall (now a condominium), the Field House with classrooms and offices and the gymnasium (now the City Arena), and the Student Center (a former dairy barn moved its present site, later used by the Sons of Norway, and now unoccupied). The final class of Lea College graduated in 1973.

A comment in the 1988 Freeborn County history book said, “The Lea College dream … ended, but it changed the Albert Lea community forever.”

Still another of his legacies, an important part of area life, is the Albert Lea campus of Riverland Community College. This school, strongly promoted by Peterson and other civic leaders, became Albert Lea Area Vocational Technical Institute and was conceived in 1969. It started operations the following year. During the years this college has had several name changes. The Austin campus has roots dating back 75 years.

Peterson, of Swedish ancestry, was born in Hunter, N.D., a small rural community about 25 miles northwest of Fargo, N.D. By the time he was a teenager, the family lived on St. Paul’s east side. His daughter, Patti, said her father went to school with two people who became known as the “Minnesota twins.” They were Warren Burger and Harry Blackmun, who later became judges on the U.S. Supreme Court.

He graduated from the University of Minnesota Law School in 1947. His wife, Marjorie, said he sent out 45 applications or resumes to regional law firms. Only two replies resulted, and one was from the Albert Lea offices of Meighen, Knudson & Sturtz of Albert Lea. When he soon joined this firm his name was added to its corporate name.

He married Marjorie Youngquist in 1948 and they soon had a home on Ridge Road in what’s still known as Shoreland Heights. In that era this area was part of Albert Lea Township, but it has since been annexed to the city.

Thus, as a family member explained, the residents had to travel all the way through the city of Albert Lea to their town hall on South Broadway Avenue. Peterson served as a township supervisor from 1955 to 1959 and later became president of Shorelands Inc.

In 1959 the family moved to a new home on Lakeview Boulevard near the Blackmer Bridge and overlooking the family’s favorite site and sight, Fountain Lake.

Peterson became involved with many local and statewide organizations. These included the Minnesota State Board of Education and the Minnesota State Bar Association where he served a president in 1989-90.

His legal areas of practice were based on estate planning, probate, trusts and corporate law. Thus, he became involved with Wilson & Co., Edwards Manufacturing Co., First State Bank of Emmons, Albert Lea’s Security Bank, Bridon Cordage and other firms as legal councilor and corporate board member.

Through the years the legal firm he was part of changed locations and even its corporate name. This came about as new attorneys were added and attorneys retired or became judges. By 1991, Peterson’s name was first on the list. Also, that year his firm became part of a merger with the local firm led by Edward Christian. At that time the decision was made to use just two names, Christian & Peterson, for its designation.

At the present time this legal firm is at 314 S. Broadway Ave. There are three attorneys. Phillip A. Kohl, Mark A. Anderson and John T. Hareid, based in a former hardware store and restaurant building.

Hareid, who is married to Peterson’s daughter, Patti, said his father-in-law retired on May 1, 1997. Yet, he added, “He would walk to work, have a cup of coffee, go into his office to do some work, and then go to Abrego’s Cafe (on Washington Avenue and now Nancy’s Cafe) and have coffee with some old friends and retirees.”

Peterson, who had been a resident at St. John’s Lutheran Home since January, died there on Oct. 13. Yet, there will still be four very visible reminders to serve as part of his legacies for the community. Two signs on the South Broadway Avenue side of the building say “Christian & Peterson, P.A., Attorneys At Law.” On the other side of the building on the alley side facing Washington Avenue near the roof line is still another sign with the same wording. And above the alley doorway is a sign saying “Christian & Peterson, P.A. Entrance.”