​John C. Peterka

John C. Peterka, JR age 76 of Veseleyville, ND passed away on Sunday, January 5, 2025 at the First Care Health Center of Park River.


John Charles Peterka Jr. was born on April 8, 1948, in Grafton, ND to John and Agnes (Kadlec) Peterka.  The only boy among five sisters, John spent his childhood years helping his dad and grandfather on the farm.  He attended school in Park River, graduating in 1966.  
He met Bonetta ‘Bunnie’ Bruce at a Pisek dance in the summer of 1969.  They were united in marriage on July 16, 1977 at St. John's Catholic Church in Grafton, ND.  They started their family in Veseleyville, later building their forever home East of Veseleyville.  There, they raised their three boys and farmed until John's passing.  
Farming was a true passion for John.  He taught his boys how to run machinery at a young age and loved showing old home videos of his sons helping him during harvest.  John also loved animals and dabbled in various small batches of livestock from time to time – raising a few cows, chickens, pheasants, pigs, and sheep, befriending an injured crow and fostering a baby racoon, and his most recent companion, a blue heeler dog, name Freckles.  
In addition to farming, John also loved his garden.  He was always trying out new seed varieties and loved to experiment with growing different plants.  He mastered the art of growing the most delicious sweet corn in the area, planting plots in various secret locations at a staggered rate to ensure that the sweet corn season could last as long as possible.  
In 2008, John turned an old granary into a small shed on the farm to butcher and process meat in.  Affectionately nicknamed ‘The Lab’, this small shed quickly became a popular hangout for John and his friends.  Anyone and everyone were welcome to swing in to see what was happening in the garden, check in on the current meat processing project, or just come over for a splash and shoot the breeze.  
During the fall and winter months, John enjoyed hunting.  It didn’t matter the season, John was out scouting for something.  After several years of applying, he was awarded a moose license and successfully shot a bull moose.  
Never one to sit still, John was always on the move or tinkering with a project.  He could make a simple project take all day, if time allowed.  When he wasn’t tinkering, he was driving around the countryside in his pickup ‘checking crops’, 12 months a year.  Driving around was truly one of his favorite things to do, but he could never do it alone…he always had a great friend (or two!) along with him for the ride.  
John is survived by his wife Bunnie; children: John of Kake, AK; Josh, of Grand Forks, ND; and Jared (Jill) of Forest River, ND; grandchildren: Jaylin, Jack, and Jordy Peterka; along with numerous extended family members and friends. 
He is preceded in death by his parents, sisters Marlys (JD) Miller; Karen (Dick) Croaker; Rosalie (Pat) Murphy; Jo Ellen (Bernard) Hamilton; Kris Peterka; and nephew Guy Miller. 
A Celebration of Life will be held at 10:30 am at St. Luke's Catholic Church in Veseleyville, ND on Thursday, January 9. Visitation will take place one hour before the church service.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to St. Luke’s Cemetery Fund (c/o Andy Sobolik, 14089 61st St NE, Pisek, ND 58273) or First Care Health Center (c/o Mike Helt, 115 Vivian St, PO Box i, Park River, ND 58270).
The family would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to all of the caregivers and staff at First Care Health Center in Park River for their excellent care and compassion. 

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