John Martin Peterson

“Jack,” as he was known by family and friends, lived in five states during his lifetime: New York, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin and Florida. He was fiercely independent with a lively sense of humor, and could talk to anyone and put them at ease. He enjoyed cooking and sharing stories, laughter and meals with others.

Jack loved talking about and driving cars – even buying himself a pristine used black BMW convertible to celebrate his 90th birthday. He doted on all the dogs who shared his many homes over the years, including four bulldogs and two Shih Tzus. Jack believed you could “tell a lot about people by how they treat animals.”

Jack earned a bachelor’s degree in commerce/accounting with a minor in business administration in 1952 from Columbia University in New York City. He worked his way up the corporate ladder for several companies and in 1961 landed at Morton Textiles & Furniture, a Chicago-based interior design and pioneering contract furnishings business that was acquired in 1972 by U.S. Industries Inc. Jack was eventually promoted to president of U.S. Industries, directing the firm’s operations in Connecticut. Texas and New York. He retired early, in 1977, to care for his brother who waged a hard-fought battle with cancer.

Jack was preceded in death by his beloved spouse John DeLotto, brother Roy Peterson, mother Ruth (Stewart) Peterson, and father Joseph Vincent Peterson. He will be missed by his extended family by marriage: niece Anne (husband Ned), nephew Mark and sister-in-law Nancy, all of Tampa, FL, and a circle of lifelong friends across several states.

The family would like to thank the staff of Suncoast Hospice at St. Joseph’s Hospital (Tampa, FL) for their compassionate care of Jack in the last days of his earthly life.