Dennis Wayne Peterson

1945 ~ 2019

Dennis Wayne Peterson passed away on Sunday following complications from heart surgery. He was 73 years old.

Dennis was born in Mesa, Arizona in 1945. From his mother, Dennis learned at an early age a love of grammar and words. And many a crossword puzzle met its match. The son of a former professional baseball player, Dennis was an accomplished athlete in his younger years, starring for the Edmonds High School baseball team before playing collegiately at BYU. He hung up his cleats to serve a three-year LDS mission in Paris, France that would shape his worldview for the rest of his life.

In 1968, Dennis married Marjie Bunnell in the Salt Lake temple. They had four children: Brad, Jeff, Wendy and Heidi. Following graduation from BYU, Dennis graduated from the University of Washington dental school. A stint in the Army took Dennis and family all over the United States and eventually to Germany, but it was in Salt Lake City where he settled down and began a dental practice - a profession that he worked at until his retirement.

A curious mind and notorious tinkerer of gadgets, "Petesky" - as his grandchildren called him - reveled in creating new inventions and contraptions in his workshop. He loved learning and took joy in sharing new words, factoids, riddles, and jokes with those he loved. He was a teller of stories. His DVD collection was something of neighborhood legend. And it's scientifically proven that he made the most delicious tacos on Earth.

His last waking moments were with a joke and a smile.

Dennis is survived by his loving wife Marjie, children Brad (Kim), Jeff, Wendy Peterson-Sorensen (Dan) and Heidi, seven grandchildren, brother Gail and countless power tools and screwdriver sets. He leaves behind a legacy of kindness and honesty that those who loved him will seek to uphold and continue in his absence.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, March 23 at 11:00 am in the LDS meetinghouse at 951 East, 100 South in Salt Lake City. Viewings will be held on Friday, March 22 from 6:00-8:00 pm and on Saturday from 9:30-10:45 am in the same location. Interment at Mount Olivet cemetery.