Bobby Joe Peterson

Funeral service for Bobby Peterson will be held at 10:00 a.m. Monday, April 4, 2016 at First Baptist Church of Claremore. Pastor Sam Nichols will officiate. Burial will follow at Floral Haven Cemetery under the direction of MMS-Payne Funeral Home & Cremation Service. Visitation will begin on Sunday April 3 at 12:00 p.m. and end at 6:00 p.m. at the MMS-Payne Funeral Home Chapel.

Bobby Joe Peterson passed away on March 30, 2016 at the age of 81.

The son of John Wesley and Ella Bernice Dunn Peterson was born December 6, 1934 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. As a young boy he was raised in Broken Arrow. There he would later attend Broken Arrow schools, graduating as a member of the class of 1953.

The following year on March 5, 1954 Bob married his high school sweetheart, Margie Nickens. The couple first became acquainted around the age of 15. When Bob met Margie while she was visiting her cousins who lived a few houses down the street. After their marriage they made their home in Tulsa where Bob was working.

Bob began his epic working career in Tulsa. There he was working as a 3rd class building engineer at the Skelly Building. Eventually he left there and began working for Zebco. Over the next 10 years Bob worked hard not only for Zebco, but for himself as well. It was also during this time in 1961 that Bob founded Nupar. A business which began by him and a partner making parts in the garage. However, this wouldn't be his only business venture. Over the next several years he began companies such as Petco, which was an oil and gas business, Barco Manufacturing, Swede Industries, and Superior Foam just to name a few.

Though he was definitely knowledgeable when it came to manufacturing, his forward thinking didn't stop there. In 1968 Bob moved his family to the farm in Claremore. There they began their first venture in the pecan business. It started with the purchase of one pecan cracker. Over the next couple of years the business continued to grow. With the need for more space, the Nut House was built. With the growth of the Nut House, Bob was looking to increase productivity of his trees. So he got his helicopter license so he could spray the trees more effectively. He then became the first in Oklahoma to begin sizing and sanitizing the pecans before cracking and selling them.

The next business Bob started on the farm was raising of Simmental cattle. For years he raised them under the brand of the Circle P Ranch.

Bob was a member of the First Baptist Church in Claremore, where he has attended since the early 1970’s.

In his spare time he enjoyed traveling, spending time with his family, and of course working.

He is preceded in death by his parents John and Bernice Peterson and brothers Johnny and Charlie Peterson. His only surviving sibling is his sister Betty Lou Stevenson.

Survivors include his wife Margie of the home; children, Sandy Schiebel and husband John of Claremore, Connie Andrews and husband Brad of Conroe, Texas, Teri Penick and husband Lynn of Claremore, and Robert Peterson Jr and wife Shannon of Missouri City, Texas; grandchildren, Kiera Johnson and husband Sean, Kami Gayle Newby, Katie Schiebel, Heather Erickson and husband Seth, Ryan Andrews and wife Natalie, Cody Wayne Penick and Tyler Wayne Penick, Robert Joe Peterson III, Taylor David Peterson, Grant Nicholas Peterson; great-grandchildren, Audrey Jo Johnson, Levi Erickson and Willow Andrews.

Those who wish to honor Bob's memory with a memorial contribution, may do so by contributing to Legacy Christian School at First Baptist Church, 107 E. Will Rogers Blvd., Claremore, OK 74017.