H. Rand Petersen Obituary

Howard Rand Petersen, always known as Rand, passed away at his home in Friendship Havenin Fort Dodge, Iowa, on March 15, 2023. Rand was born in Harlan, Iowa, on February 5, 1929, to Eunice Gertrude Anderson Petersen and Wilmer Everett Petersen. After graduating from Harlan High School in 1947 he headed off to the State University of Iowa (SUI) where he met Mary Louise Anneberg. She was wearing the school sweater of his Harlan High School basketball team’s greatest rival- Carrol High; they have been together ever since. At SUI Rand was a ROTC student, played on the freshman basketball team and was a member of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. Rand and Mary Louise married on February 4, 1951, before their last semester of college knowing he was headed into the army shortly after his graduation from the State University of Iowa in May of 1951. Their first child, Margaret Lynn, was born just before he went to Korea in 1952. Allen Rand followed in 1954, Katherine Ann in 1958 and Steven Reed in 1959. Rand spent a few years working for Brenton banks in Dallas Center and Perry before joining Harlan’s Shelby County State Bank (SCSB) in 1958 where he was president for more than 40 years. He was also a graduate of the University of Wisconsin at Madison Graduate School of Banking.
Rand was a loyal friend to the people and projects he dedicated himself to. From his years on the Iowa Republican Central Committee where he convinced a young Robert D. Ray to run for governor (and was campaign manager for all four of Ray’s gubernatorial campaigns), through his years at the SCSB, on the Harlan City Council, serving as president of the Iowa Bankers Association, starting Eagle Construction Company and through his days living at the Harlan Golf & Country Club. Rand also cherished his time traveling with friends and enjoying the fall leaves of New England.
He was a principal driving force behind numerous hospital and civic organizations in Harlan including the Petersen Wellness Center, the Shelby County Historical Museum and the Therkildsen Activity Center. He also passionately supported the Danish Immigrant Museum (Elk Horn, Iowa), the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, and the University of Iowa where he (and Mary Louise) supported countless scholarships, Old Capitol, Hawkeye Arena Recreation Campaign, the University of Iowa Art Museum(s), first generation students and many others. Rand collected beautiful things and was an artist in his own right. Edward Barker pottery was his favorite. Family and friends were enriched by both his carpentry skills (bookshelves, desks…) and his handmade Scandinavian Rya rugs.
Rand loved trees. He planted hundreds of trees in his lifetime including at his long time home at 1411 10th Street in Harlan, his Okoboji home and also at the Harlan Golf and Country Club. Many of the trees he planted as seedlings. He was preceded in death by his infant brother Russell Jack and his parents. He leaves behind his wife of more than 72 years, Mary Louise Petersen. Four children: Margaret Lynn Kindem, Allen Rand Petersen, Katherine Ann Linder (David) and Steven Reed Petersen. Ten grandchildren: Andrew Petersen (Bernadette Whistler), M. Katherine Petersen (Allen Whitlock), Jason Rand Petersen (Heather Cole), Reas Linder (Aerial), Jonathan Rand Linder (Kathryn), Jackson Linder, Katina Mortensen (Matt), Kristin Jordan (Alex), Alisa Petersen, and Danielle Petersen. Fifteen great grandchildren: Ethan Rand, Cole, Avery, Jacey and Noah Petersen; Oliver Whitlock; Siena and Elliot Linder; Sadie and Samuel Rand Linder; Ivory, Hazel, and Dieter Mortensen; Raglan and Parker Jordan.
Memorials may be directed to the University of Iowa’s 1stGen@Iowa initiative or to the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation’s Little Sioux Scout Ranch.
Funeral Services will be Wednesday, March 29th at 11AM at the Pauley Jones Funeral Home in Harlan. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service. Burial will be at the Rose Hill Cemetery in Kirkman. The Pauley Jones Funeral Home in Harlan is in charge of arrangements.