James Oliver Peterson

Jim was born in peralta hospital in oakland, california on march 4, 1937, to reuben oliver and lena corolyn fink peterson. He was welcomed home by big sister georgia andrea. In 1939, the family moved to visalia, where jim spent the rest of his Life. Jim graduated from mount whitney, where he was active in the Sports teams as manager. Etc. Jim sold newspapers on main street after school. He was a caddy At the golf course on saturdays. Fox theatre tickets was 15 cents. He and 3 friends would go to the grocery store, one would jump the storage fence, and get (steal?) Enough bottles to take inside to cash in and get 25 cents for each to go to the show and have 10 cents for the snack bar. Jim also worked at the fox theater. When he graduated, he went to the phone office where his dad worked to apply for a job. He was told they were only hiring military. He went directly to the recruiting office, and enlisted in the air national guard. He returned to the phone office and was hired on the spot. Jim spent the next 30 years working for western electric. His work took him up and down the central valley and more. He supervised crews installing fibro optics and other things. He retired at age 48. Jim served in the air national guard for 8 years, and earned the Rank of staff Sargent. Jim has 4 children: stacey, gregory, deirdre, and jimmy. He has several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was a handyman, and he also drove a school bus for 15 years for visalia unified school district, after he retired from western blectric. At the school district, he was on the research/negotiations team, A job steward, site rep, drivers advisory committee, and the insurance committee, and other positions. In the california schools employees association, he was on the legislative committee, and political action coordinator at the state level. Locally, he held several offices including delegate to state Conferences. On retiring from the school, he joined the retiree unit and held office of president and the district director, and was instrumental in chartering a new unit in bishop. Jim was raised in the presbertarian church where he sang in the Choir. He was involved in ministry his whole life. Jim went on a medical mission trip to the phillipines, and on to china smuggling bibles into china with calvary chapel. He also went on mission trips to mexico with dave and anna bonzell. Jim and betty married in 1994 and spent their years together serving the lord. He and betty worshiped at calvary chapel and these last 5 years at pathway. When we would pray for healing fore someone he would say "honey, the perfect healing is when the lord takes us home". He held numerous positions in leadership at calvary chapel, bible studies at westate, visalia rescue mission, and rehab classes at corcoran prison. And helped with the "most excellent way" program at calvary. He also helped with the car shows for 10 years. Jim also had a boy scout troup in the 1970s and again in the early 2000s. He was a member of "the order of the arrow" jim enjoyed joking around with his friends and family. He even had the staff and residents at delta rehab loving his humor. You never knew if he was serious. Or telling you a tall tail. Jim liked to draw cartoon characters, and cars. Jim had a very full life, and enjoyed ministering to people. He loved the lord, and enjoyed church. I know he is safe in the Arms of Jesus, and has no more pain. God bless you all Services have been entrusted to Salser & Dillard Funeral Chapel. Memorial Tributes and condolences may be offered by logging onto www.salseranddillard.com.

James Oliver Peterson

March 4, 1937 - November 4, 2025