George E. Peterson

retired funeral director and president, Hinchliff-Pearson-West Funeral Home, Galesburg, Illinois, died February 24, 2022, at age 75.

Peterson was a graduate of Wisconsin Institute of Mortuary Science and became a licensed funeral director and embalmer in 1968. He was co-owner of the funeral home from 1988-2017, with Dave Pearson and Wayne Hull. After 50 years of funeral service, he retired as president of Hinchliff-Pearson-West Funeral Home in 2017.

Peterson was a past member and served as president of the Galesburg Area Chamber of Commerce and was a past member of the Knox County YMCA Board of Directors, the Prairieland Hospice-Community Hospices of America Board of Directors and Knox County Heart Association. He was a past member of the Galesburg Public School Foundation Board of Trustees, past member and chairperson of the Board of Trustees for Galesburg Cottage Hospital, and he also served on the board of F&M Bank. He chaired the Strategic Plan for Economic Development for the City of Galesburg and served on the Galesburg Community Foundation board until his death.

Peterson also volunteered his time and worked with the United Way of Knox County and Galesburg Salvation Army. He officiated for the Illinois High School Association for basketball and baseball for many years. 

He is survived by wife Diane; children Erick, Erin, Craig and Christy; and six grandchildren.