Nathan Evan Peterson, 51, beloved husband, father, son, and friend passed away peacefully in his home surrounded by family in River Heights, Utah on Wednesday January 5, 2022, after a two-month battle with an aggressive form of brain cancer.
He was born August 9, 1970, in Santa Clara, California to Dennis and Sonja Whittle Peterson. He grew up in Cupertino, California and loved playing soccer, surfing, being a part of Madrigals, and spending time with family and friends. After graduating from high school, Nathan attended one year of college at De Anza College before serving a 2-year mission in London, England. He loved sharing the gospel, both as a missionary, and throughout his life.
Following his mission, he attended Brigham Young University and received a bachelor’s degree in Business and later received a Global Executive MBA from the Fuqua Business School at Duke University. After graduating from BYU, and while living in Provo, he met his sweetheart Emily Paige Dunkley. They were married in the Salt Lake Temple on November 21, 1997. Emily was truly Nathan’s best friend and he loved her with his whole heart. Together they founded Saranoni, a luxury blanket company and are grateful for the personal relationships they have been able to develop with so many, from their manufacturers to individual customers. They love being able to serve others and bring comfort and warmth to many. From raising their six amazing kids, to being business partners, their life was lived together. All of life’s decisions, big and small, were made hand in hand.
Nathan’s greatest joy was spending time with his wife and kids. It didn’t matter what they were doing or where they were as long as they were together. One of the things he loved most was being with his kids and practicing their sports and activities and then attending their games and recitals. He was his kids’ biggest cheerleader. No matter the event, rain or shine, he was there. His love for BYU ran deep and he loved cheering on the Cougars by attending football and basketball games with his family from the time his kids were little. Nothing was of greater importance to him than to know that his family could be together forever.
Nathan loved being around others and creating friendships and connections with them. He treated everyone he met with kindness, made people feel seen and important, and celebrated their victories with them. His was a life of service. He had a positive outlook on life, never complained, and always had a contagious smile, even in the hardest times. Nathan was always a peacemaker and had a quiet calm that drew others to him. He was keenly aware of what mattered most and made that the priority in his life.
Above all else, Nathan loved God, and it showed in his every action. He was a humble servant of the Lord his entire life and impacted the lives of many in the way that he lived and dedicated his time and efforts to God. As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he served in many callings, most recently as bishop of the Providence 4th Ward until his passing.
Nathan is survived by his wife Emily, and his six children: Eliza, Isaac, Samuel, Sarah-Sophia, Jeremiah, and Grace. Nathan is also survived by his parents Dennis and Sonja, and his siblings David (Maci), Aaron (Stacie), Kristin (Boyd) Palmer, Jared (Steph), and Adam (Stephanie). He is preceded in death by his stillborn son, Ezra.
The Peterson family would like to thank their family members who helped care for Nathan and his family throughout these 8 weeks. They would also like to thank the many loved ones in their neighborhood, community and far beyond who showed love and support to them during this difficult time. We may not know each of you, but you are all truly angels on earth.
The funeral service will be held Wednesday, January 12, 2022, at 12:00 p.m. at the River Heights Stake Center located at 800 S 600 E, River Heights, Utah. The service will also be streamed live and may be watched online Wednesday at 12 pm (MST) by going to
www.allenmortuaries.com
. Viewings will be held Tuesday, January 11 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Allen-Hall Mortuary, 34 E Center Street, Logan Utah, and prior to the funeral Wednesday, January 12 from 10:30-11:30 a.m. at the River Heights Stake Center. Nathan will be buried at the Providence Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the to the General Missionary Fund of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or to
www.visioncambodia.org
, where Nathan, Emily and Saranoni have worked to support underprivileged mothers, babies, and families.
To livestream the funeral on Wednesday at 12 p.m., click on the following link:
http://mywebcast.churchofjesuschrist.org/riverheightsutahstake
If you were not able to view the funeral live, you may see a recording of it here:
https://www.allenmortuaries.net/obituaries/Nathan-Peterson-4/#!/PhotosVideos