Jim Or James Allen Peterson

Jim was born in Grand Forks, North Dakota on February 24,1933. He was drafted by the Army National Guard in 1950. Sgt. Peterson was stationed at Fort Lewis in Washington State. He was the projectionist on base and showed the movies in the mess hall. While at Desert Rock in Nevada, Jim witnessed 5 Atomic bomb tests, he said "it was like the ground coming at you from 5 mile away, like an earthquake or tsunami on land, it rolled right under you".

In 1954 Jim met the love of his life on a blind date, Janet Marlene Thureen. They married on November 18, 1955, in Grand Forks, North Dakota. 14 years and three children later (1969) they went from one temperature extreme to the other and moved to Banning, California. Jim Worked for the City of Banning. Jim was the first 'Gallon Blood Donor' for the area blood bank. After leaving the city, Jim opened a family business 'Peterson Printing Service'. Then in 1976 the family moved to Rancho Mirage, California to take on a full time projectionist position. Not only did Jim run movies on the big screen, he also Worked on movies for the big screen, and did private showings for Frank Sinatra, Marvin Davis, Ben Markus, Walter Annenberg and other celebrities who had theaters in their desert homes.

Jim then became 'Mr. Marlene' and assisted Marlene in her Doll Cloths Business. They traveled all over the Western United States in their RV going to Doll Shows, selling custom doll clothing. In 2013 they officially sold the doll business.


During this time Jim started battling cancer and thru a lot of prayer outlived every doctors prediction.

Jim lived a full life and blessed to see his family unfold, his “Quiver full of Arrows”. Jim is preceded in death by his Daughter Katherine Louise Peterson Holt, and his Granddaughter Jennifer Ruth Peterson. And survived by his Wife of 59 years Marlene Peterson, two sons Guy Arthur, Steven Allen, 13 Grandchildren, and 10 Great-Grandchildren.