JOHN WEBB PETERSON
John Webb Peterson, 55, died suddenly in his apartment in Dubai, United Arab Emerites, of a massive heart attack. John was just completing his second year teaching journalism at the Dubai Women’s College and had planned to return to the States in January.
John was born in Ogden, Utah on May 19, 1945, son of John H. and Ruth Webb Peterson. He was reared in Provo, Utah, where he graduated from BY High. He served an LDS Eastern States Mission to New York City and the World’s Fair from 1964 to 1966. John attended Dixie College in St. George, Utah, and Miami-Dade College and the University of Miami in Florida while serving in the United States Army. He received degrees from Weber State and BYU.
John married Norma Kelly, of Roy, Utah, on May 5, 1967 in the Logan LDS Temple. They were divorced in October 1997. John moved to Los Angeles in May of 1997 where he worked in television. He and Julie Laughlin, of Stockton, CA, were married in Nevada in January of 1998 just prior to leaving for the United Arab Emerites.
John was Sports information Director at Weber State from 1973 to 1979 and taught broadcasting until he left Weber in 1984. While at Weber he was Voice of the Wildcats for almost 12 years at KLO and KJQ. John served two terms as President of the Big Sky Conference Sports information Directors Association and was a founding officer of the Utah Sports Sports information Association which brought into being the Beehive Boot Trophy in football and the Oquirrh Bucket Trophy in basketball for the three major Utah Universities.
John taught mass communications at Delta College in Stockton, CA from 1986 to 1997. He was an active supporter of Delta Athletics, the Stockton Ports, and the University of the Pacific where he served as PA Announcer from(sic) some time. He broadcast valley high school and college games from Sacramento to Fresno and was a regular on local radio and television including a number of years at KUOP.
John received the Golden Apple Outstanding Teacher Award from the California Teachers Associations in May of 1997. He was loved and revered by students, fellow faculty, and numerous civic leaders wherever he was. He led United Way campaigns and served numerous student organizations and activities and was active in theatre with leading roles in the Miracle Worker (at Dixie College), Grapes of Wrath. The Rainmaker, The Cemetery Club, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, and Once Upon a Mattress, while at Delta.
John was loved and is survived by his four children; Kwin (Shanna) Peterson of Salt Lake City; Utah; Andrea Peterson of Phoenix, AZ; Kindra Peterson of Salt Lake City, Utah; and Shon Peterson of Stockton, CA; one granddaughter, Lily Peterson, Salt Lake City, Utah; parents, Ruth Wilson of St. George, Utah and John H. Peterson of Malad, ID; two sisters Ann Daugherty, Norwick, CT, and Jae Tolbert, Littleton, CO his first wife Norma Peterson, Stockton, CA and his second wife Julie Laughlin Peterson, Stockton, CA.
Funeral Services are pending at DeYoung Shoreline Chapel while arrangements are made to return his body to California. In lieu of flowers, if anyone wishes to remember John the family asks that contributions be made in John’s name to the Gary Crompton Athletic Scholarship Fund at Weber State University.
