Lawrence "Pete" Eugene Petersen

Lawrence Eugene "Pete" Petersen, of Thornton, passed away on April 17, 2014, at age 74.Visitation will be Monday, April 21, 2014, from 6:00 to 8:00 P.M. at Groesbeck Funeral Home.Graveside services will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Tuesday, April 22, 2014, at the Pavilion in Faulkenberry Cemetery, with Reverend Tracy Sims of the Central Baptist Church of Thornton officiating. Pete was born on June 28, 1939 in Montezuma, Iowa, to Leroy Robert and Margaret Moore Petersen. Pete was riding a horse at age 6, and as he became a teenager he helped manage the family farm. At the age of 16, he joined the United States Marine Corps, and it was while he was assigned to embassy duty at the American Embassy in Mexico City that he met Graciela Flora Wadgymar and fell in love. He and Florita were married on May 27, 1961. After they were married and Pete returned to civilian life, Pete began living the cowboy life.  He loved the outdoor life and anything that had to do with horses. Pete and Florita were blessed with three children.  He taught his three kids and grandkids how to ride and love horses. Breaking and training horses, especially cutting horses, was what he enjoyed most, and watching his daughters and grandkids ride was pure joy to him. In later life Pete spent most of his time in woodworking and lumber milling. Limestone County is sprinkled with rocking chairs, tables, chairs, and rocking horses that he made. He was preceded in death by his mother, father, sister, and his beloved son Leroy Robert Petersen. He is survived by his wife of fifty-three years, Florita, his daughters Arlene and husband Jeff, Natasha and husband Nick, and the eleven delightful grandkids:  Michael Chad Bowman and wife Katie of Thornton, Kristen Bowman of Waco, Carl (CJ) Williams,  Courtney Harris and husband Ray of Madisonville, Chance Petersen of Madisonville, Harlie Badgett of Groesbeck, Rylie Goodman of Groesbeck, Zackary Goodman of Groesbeck, Bralie Goodman of Groesbeck, Brooke Johnson of Riesel, and Bailey Johnson of Groesbeck; also three equally delightful great-grandkids and with two more on the way.