Peterson, Richard John age 49, passed away July 28, 2014, in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, where he was the Assistive Technology Specialist at Hiram G. Andrews Center. Rick was born May 10, 1965, in Chisholm, Minnesota, and also lived with his family in Mankato, Sanborn, and Marshall, Minnesota. He graduated from Marshall High School in 1983 and from Iowa State in 1986 with a major in Electrical Engineering. He held graduate degrees in Speech Science from USC, Electrical Engineering from Georgia Tech, and Communication Disorders from the University of Minnesota. Rick was employed as a Research Engineer at Motorola in Schaumburg, Illinois, and by several nonprofits in Minnesota including Blue Sky Designs, United Cerebral Palsy, and the STAR Program. He volunteered with Courage Center, Bethesda and Children's Hospital, and the Veterans Hospital. He devoted his life to improving the lives of people with disabilities through Augmentative Communication. Rick loved to sing and to dance, both ballroom dancing and folk dancing. He enjoyed fishing, especially with his father. Rick was a gentle giant of a man who loved his family and his fiance' Mary, and was beloved by his many friends and coworkers. He will be missed by all who knew him. He is survived by his fiance' Mary Muss and her mother Florence Muss of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, parents Pat and Dick Peterson of St. Paul, Minnesota, sister Corinne Peterson and John Moore of Evanston, Illinois, his Aunt Marilyn and Bruce Konkler of Hayward, Wisconsin, his Uncle Bill and Carol Peterson of Champaign, Illinois, plus several cousins and their families. Services will be held at Hamline United Methodist Church, 1514 Englewood Ave., St. Paul, Minnesota, Saturday, September 27, 2014, at 5 p.m. The handicap entrance is in the back of the church, drive to the two glass doors. Burial will be Sunday, September 28, 2014, at Roselawn Cemetery, 803 West Larpenteur, Roseville, Minnesota. Memorials can be given to the National Association for Mental Illness, Minnesota, NAMI, or to Courage Center. In lieu of flowers, please be kind to one another.