PETE AND JANET HERMANSON

Kudos to these high school sweethearts, who celebrated their 60^th wedding anniversary on November 15, 2013.   Married in the Bethel Lutheran Church in Story Lake, Iowa just two months before Pete  mustered out of the Army, the couple have made their home on Pete’s family farm all these years.
  

Janet and Pete met at their high school dance when she was a sophomore, and he a senior.  He took her home from that dance and they have been dance partners ever since.  Upon graduation from Story City High, Pete entered Iowa State University and remained until he was eligible for the draft.  He then volunteered for the draft and served in the Army for two years.  When Janet graduated, she entered Waldorf Lutheran Collage, and was there until she and Pete married.

Having always lived on the farm, Pete loved the country life, and so worked on the family homestead while going to college on the G. I. Bill.  At that time their specialty was mostly cattle, but as the years went by, it evolved into a turkey ranch as well.  Pete’s father and uncles formed a corporation of multigenerational farms, called Woodland Farmers, Inc. 

While still in college Janet and Pete had two children.  Their oldest son Mike, attended his dad’s college graduation.  Their second son, Mark was home with grandpa and grandma, while their third child Marcia, was more than a twinkle in her daddy’s eye. 

Being a city girl was no detriment to Janet.  She loved the fresh air and open country, and embraced country life wholeheartedly.  After daughter Marcia was born, two more children, Mathew and Melanie joined the family .  St Petri Lutheran church in Story City was the family parish as they brought up their children socially and spiritually. 


Eventually, the original house in which they lived was added on to with bedrooms on one end, kitchen in the front, and a large office on the opposite end.  While raising the family, Janet also kept the books for the Woodland Farmers, Inc. sharing the office with Pete.  They worked side by side, and were the best of friends.  To this reporter, Peter quipped, “ Janet has a host of friends, and I’m glad I am one of them.”

In 1988, when Reagan was President of the United States, and not long after Pete became President of Woodland Farmers, Inc., he and Jan  were invited to bring the Thanksgiving turkey, (actually two turkeys-one for a spare) to the White House.  They arrived with two turkeys in cages, and were housed in a near-by hotel.  As it turned out, the only place to keep the turkeys was in the hotel kitchen.  They were temporarily let out of their small cramped cages to stretch their legs a bit.  Naturally, they made a mess.  While Pete furiously attempted to clean up the mess and get the turkeys back into their cages, the press photographers took the opportunity to get their best shots.  Of course, Pete cleaning up the mess while trying to coax the ornery fowls back into their cages, was the picture seen ‘round the world.  That same year, while in Savannah, Georgia, Pete and Janet were the first couple ever to receive the National Turkey Federation Award, with a Lifetime Achievement Award attached.  They were overwhelmed with that great honor.

In 1993, Pete and Janet came to Mesa, to visit her sister Burnie Young and  husband Bob (Doc) Young.  # 43 was just being built.  Though they thought they were too young to be buying a retirement home, they did love the area, the weather, and the people in the complex, so they purchased the unit.  They came back periodically, but always kept the home in Iowa.  “Are you officially retired?” I asked Pete.  “Depends on who you ask,” the both answered at once.  “I still like to go back to Iowa for a week or two, and then come back here”, Pete mused.  “We can go to Mayo Clinic in the area.  I like to walk in the mornings, and Jan finds so many things to join in here.” he added.

  “In our multigenerational family, our son Mike is now President of Woodland Farmers, Inc., and I am sort of Manager,” Pete offered.  Mike is fifth generation, as well as nephew Nick, while son-in-law Chris is sixth generation.  Along with sons Mike, (Kim), Mark, (Cathy), daughter Marcia, (Hugh), Mathew, (Kari), and Melanie, (Tim), the couple have eighteen grandchildren and 2 plus great grandchildren.

Janet and Pete are such a delightful couple, quite obviously still in love.  They are thankful for all the graces the Good Lord has bestowed upon them.  They are truly loved and respected in the Village @ Apache Wells, and we are proud to call them our extended family.