Ramon (Ray) Peterson, 88, passed away October 1, 2009, in Burlingame, Calif., at the home of his daughter after battling esophageal cancer. He was born in Clifton, Texas, to Helen and Ted Peterson and raised in Minot, N.D., with two brothers and one sister. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1939 to 1947. He was married to Betty (Hughes) Peterson for 18 years and lived in Hayward, Calif. He then moved to San Leandro, Calif., and was married to Mildred (Nelson) Peterson for 33 years. He worked at Sherwin Williams Paint Company in San Leandro and Canada Dry in Berkeley. After he retired, he moved to Gardnerville, Nev., where he worked as a part-time bartender at Carson Valley Inn. He was a past exalted ruler and proud member of the Elks Club for 60 years. He was also founder and president of the Swingers Golf Club of San Leandro. He was survived by two daughters, Kay Bush and Nancy Stewart; five grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. He will be interred at Northern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Fernley, Nev., at 3 p.m. October 23, 2009.