Carl Frederick Peterson

Be happy with what you have. Don’t get greedy! Remember—do unto others as you would have them do on to you. Count your blessings. There’s an old saying, “I was unhappy because I had no shoes, until I met a person who had no feet.” Be content with what you have.

Carl Frederick Peterson

I was a Depression Baby. Not that my parents were depressed, but I was born during the Great Depression. My father and grandfather were wealthy, but they lost everything in the Depression.

My father, Hjalmar Peterson, was a Swedish comedian and singer, traveling from coast to coast entertaining in Scandinavian towns. My mother and I traveled with him. My mother would play the piano and I would sing as well. the shows were mostly in the Swedish language.

On stage, my father would dress in a country bumpkin costume with a big scarf and a red wig. He had old clothes and boots. He used his hat as a prop and many of his teeth were blackened. He would simply walk out on stage with his funny appearance and stare at people. His stage name was Olle i Skratthult, which in English meant "Ole in Laughtown". He could get the audience laughing without ever speaking a word.

My dad recorded songs with major record companies. He would record with a big orchestra and he would sing through a megaphone. His most famous song was “Nikolina.”

My mother died when I was 13 years old and my sister was five. We went to live with my grandparents on my mother’s side because my father needed help taking care of us.

I went to Central High School in Minneapolis. I wanted to be in the entertainment business like my dad so I went into radio broadcasting at brown Institute when I was 17 years old. They thought my voice was too immature, so I joined the reserves for eight years.

I went to the university of Minnesota, then back to brown Institute and then I took a job with WLOL radio as an announcer. I moved with my family to Eden Prairie over 40 years ago and began a business called Prairie Offset Printing.

We have two daughters and five grandchildren. My daughters went through Eden Prairie Schools and now some of my grandchildren are doing so as well. My children and grandchildren have brought me much happiness in my life.