Thomas Lowell Peterson

Thomas L. Peterson, 77, of Dakota Dunes, SD, passed away Sunday, January 11, 2026, with his loving family by his side after a nearly four-year courageous battle with cancer.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, January 15, 2026, from 5:00pm to 8:00pm at Christy-Smith Funeral Homes, Morningside Chapel, with a Time of Sharing at 6:30pm. Funeral service will be held on Friday, January 16, 2026, at 11:00am at East High School. His final resting place will be Memorial Park Cemetery.

Thomas “Tom” L. Peterson was born July 8, 1948, in Sioux City, Iowa, to Lowell and Helen Peterson.

He graduated from Sioux City East High School in 1966 and then attended Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, graduating with a Bachelor of Science Degree in 1971. While at Iowa State he worked in the Athletic Department as an Athletic Trainer, covering all Men’s Collegiate Basketball, Football, Wrestling and Track and Field Athletic Teams. In 1968, he was selected to serve as the Athletic Trainer for the United States Olympic Team at their high-altitude development training center in Alamosa, Colorado, covering the United States Olympic Men’s Basketball, Wrestling, Swimming and Track and Field teams. While completing his collegiate coursework at Iowa State, he enlisted in Army Active Duty in 1968 which necessitated that he take some time away from his collegiate studies in his service to his country. He then served in Active Army Reserve until 1974, while simultaneously completing his collegiate coursework at Iowa State. He was selected to serve as an Athletic Trainer for the United States Olympic Team at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, Mexico, but was not cleared to travel with the team due to his active military duty obligations.

After leaving Iowa State he was offered several jobs as an Athletic Trainer for several professional football and baseball teams but decided to return to Sioux City as he felt work life as Athletic Trainer for a professional team was not conducive to family life. He married Darla Lewis and to this union, two daughters, Britt and Candace were born. They later divorced.

Upon his return to Sioux City, he was employed by the Sioux City School District for 39 years in a multitude of roles including teaching Biology and Chemistry, coaching Football, Basketball and Track, Athletic Director and Administrative Roles throughout the district. While working he also completed his Master of Arts Degree in School Administration at the University of South Dakota. His career found him working at Central High School, Hayworth Junior High, Central Administration, Career Education Center, Floyd Attendance Center and West Junior High School. He then accepted the position of Assistant Principal at East High School in 1980, serving East High until 1996 at which time he transitioned to East Middle School. At East Middle he was in the position of Principal and oversaw and managed the entire building project for the new East Middle School Campus which at the time was the largest middle school in the state of Iowa. He retired from East Middle School in 2010. His greatest love in educational roles was coaching basketball and teaching chemistry. His impact on his students and players was evidenced by the students and athletes who stayed in touch and visited Tom clear up until the end of his long courageous battle with cancer. For the majority of his career there were no designated school athletic trainers so Tom could often be found in the school training room assessing and treating injuries and countless hours of taping ankles. Even at the end of his life, Dad could tape an ankle better than anyone we know!

During the course of his career, he also served as Secretary of the Sioux City Community School District’s Athletic Council for twenty years and advocated fiercely for the transition of Girls Basketball from a 6 v 6 format to 5 v 5 format which both his daughters were very grateful for!

Throughout his career he worked tirelessly to serve the needs of the students and families of the Sioux City School District and even in retirement worked part time as a liaison between the school district and the judicial system in assisting students in overcoming obstacles and challenges that were impacting their educational focus. He served in this role until 2023 when his battle with cancer necessitated he step away from work.

Tom’s roles in administration often involved addressing attendance and disciplinary issues which was not always a popular role but a role that Tom excelled in. He had the uncommon ability to mediate and negotiate resolutions to issues while simultaneously advocating for and meeting the needs of students, parents and school. He acquired the nickname of “TLP” as his notes summoning students for discussions were often signed “See me- TLP”

He was a member of Augustana Lutheran Church and volunteered in a variety of roles at the church.

Tom was the epitome of Servant Leadership. He always gave each individual and situation the benefit of the doubt, advocated tirelessly for students and their families, and felt that there was no situation that could not be resolved and set on the right course with guidance and mentorship. He never gave up on a student, a colleague or a friend. His colleagues respected him highly as he also was a sage mentor for fellow educators, mentoring and guiding hundreds of educators throughout his career. His work throughout the Sioux City School District impacted thousands of students and their families. There was no role that was beneath him and he would roll up his sleeves and assist in whatever task that needed to be done.

Tom’s greatest love was his love of his family. He shared his love of sports, basketball and all things Iowa State with his daughters Britt and Candace. Countless trips were made to Ames where Britt and Candace would accompany Tom to Iowa State athletic events, inheriting their love of Iowa State and basketball from Tom. When the three couldn’t attend a game in person together, they could be found attending the games “virtually” together, texting, messaging and calling each other during the course of the game. These “virtual” game sessions often resulted in other family members going to other rooms of the house away from the game due to the competitive and passionate nature in which the three of them would watch games virtually together!

As Britt and Candace grew up and started families of their own, Tom assumed his greatest and most important role of Grandpa, a role that he cherished above all. His grandchildren Jacob, Aubrey and Addie spent endless hours hunting for golf balls at the golf course at Grandpa’s house, watching and playing sports, traveling to Iowa State for athletic events, swimming at the Dunes pool with countless trips to the pool concession stand on Grandpa’s tab! Multiple family trips were made to Disney World, and the grandkids cherished their last trip with Grandpa Tom to Disney World this past July. As they grew older, he traveled to their school and athletic events, never letting distance be a barrier to attending his grandchildren’s events. Miles upon miles were traveled to cheer them on in basketball, football, soccer, track, gymnastics and show choir and the grandchildren loved having their grandpa cheer them on from the sidelines. With Britt and Candace also serving as parent coaches for youth sports, Tom shared his love and knowledge of coaching with his daughters and countless hours were spent on the phone discussing practice drills, game strategy and pride in his daughters sharing their love of sports with the next generation.

We have lost our hero and our rock. We will carry on his legacy by living how he taught us to live: with courage, strength, hard work, discipline, compassion and integrity.

We want to extend our sincere love and appreciation to the staff of Holy Spirit and St Croix Hospice for the exceptional and compassionate care they provided to Tom and our family in Tom’s final days.

Tom is survived by his two daughters and their families: Britt (Chad) Zink and their daughter Aubrey, Sioux Falls, SD, Candace (Mike) Borrall and their children Jacob and Addie, Sioux City Iowa, two sisters: Darla (Dick) Williams and Vicky (Jay) Mills, Sioux City, Iowa, and numerous nephews, nieces and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents Lowell and Helen Peterson, brother Howard Peterson, and special friend Nancy Henry. We are comforted in knowing that a multitude of special family pet dogs and cats met him on the Rainbow Bridge as his Heavenly Father welcomed him home.

A memorial fund has been established in memory of Tom for scholarship for East High Graduates.