Elmer Robert Peterson died on Nov. 13, 2014. Peterson, an emeritus professor at Colorado College, is survived by the love of his life, Judith Leuthold Peterson; two children who were a constant source of pride and love, Erik Roswell Peterson and Kristin Wheeler Peterson; three grandchildren, Clinton Wheeler Huff, Jessica Isabel Peterson and Alexander Meduna Peterson; and Elmer Peterson’s brother, John Roswell Peterson.

A Navy air intelligence officer in the early ’50s, Peterson served as lieutenant. He spent two tours of duty in the Far East aboard the aircraft carriers Yorktown and Essex. He had a Bachelor of Arts from Carleton College, a Master of Arts from Middlebury College, and a Ph.D. from Colorado University. At Colorado College from 1961 until his retirement in 1995 he was chair in romance languages, director of special projects, director of development, dean of summer session and tennis coach.

A specialist in Dada/surrealism, he lectured at Colorado University, Carleton College, The Minneapolis Art Institute, The Graduate School of Art and Art History at the University of Iowa, McGill University and l‘Universite de Montreal. His works were published by Rutgers University Press (selected for the Modern Language Association’s Scholar’s Library), Oxford University Press (New York), Thames and Hudson (London), Flammarion (Paris), and Le Centre du XXieme Siecle (Nice). He translated three plays by the playwright Claude Confortes and co-authored a novel with his friend Charles Emery Jr.

Professor Peterson served on the board of the Pikes Peak Library District, the Colorado Springs School and the William Palmer Foundation. He was a longtime member of Grace Episcopal Church and served as Head Warden of its Vestry in the 1970s.

A memorial service was at 10:30 a.m. today at Grace and St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church (601 N. Tejon St., Colorado Springs, Colo.