Varley George Petersen, 82, of Burwell, Nebraska died March 1, 2013 at the Grand Island Nebraska Veterans Hospital in Grand Island, Nebraska.
Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 6, 2013 at the First Christian Church in Burwell. Burial will be in Cottonwood Cemetery in Burwell. Pastor JB Sikes will officiate. Visitation will be from 5- 7 p.m. Tuesday at Hitchcock Funeral Home in Burwell. Memorials are suggested to Burwell Color Guard or the family.
Varley was born July 15, 1930 in Burwell, Nebraska to P.O. and Dorothea (Hoyt) Petersen. Varley graduated from Burwell High School in 1949.
On July 29, 1949 he entered the United States Army and served with the 7^th Infantry Division in Korea. He was honorably discharged on October 4, 1952. After the service he went to parts school and worked for automotive dealers and parts stores for a few years. He then started working for North Loup Public Power Irrigation District for the next 35 years retiring at the age of 77. He also delivered the Grand Island Newspaper. He was a member of the American Legion and the VFW. Varley was one of the first to serve in the Burwell Color Guard in 1961.
Varley is survived by his wife Wanita Petersen of Burwell. Two sons; Merl Petersen and Norval Petersen both of Burwell and a grandson, Andrew Petersen. Three sisters; Martha Graydon of Seattle, WA, Marilyn & Andrew Bielen of Loveland, Co. and Frances and Jim Wagner of Concord, CA. and numerous nieces and nephews.
Varley was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, Calvin and Merl Petersen.