Val Spence Petersen

Val Spence Petersen
July 11, 1942 – April 12, 2026

Our beloved father, brother, uncle, and grandfather passed away peacefully at the age of 83 on April 12, 2026.

Val was born in Murray, Utah on July 11, 1942, to his parents Veldon and Thelma Marie Petersen. He was the third of six children, and considered himself to be their protector. He attended West High School in Salt Lake City, leaving early to join the Army. While serving, he completed his GED and was awarded his jump wings as a paratrooper. He served 8 years in North Carolina, Utah, Germany, and New York, and earned the rank of Specialist 6 (E-6) in the Microwave Radio Repair specialty. He began working for Utah Power & Light in 1974 as a Relay Technician, and accepted an early retirement offer in 1999.

Val fathered two children, Karla Marie Maisey (Mike) and Dylan Val Petersen (Brittney), whom he loved fiercely and unyieldingly, and through them had three grandchildren, Alannah (Ian), Jace (Carlie), and Charlie who all made him incredibly proud and filled his heart with joy. He left lifelong imprints on the hearts of his many nieces and nephews, and was an important influence on the stepchildren who experienced his love and care: Melissa, Tressie (Chris), Ronn (Sherry), Jalynn (Doug), John (Victoria), and Jennifer (Geoff), along with their children.

Val lived an adventurous life and refused to believe there was anything a person couldn’t accomplish with the right attitude and discipline. Aside from jumping from perfectly good airplanes or working with utility-scale electricity for work, Val dedicated years to life on the edge as a talented and aggressive cross-country motocross racer. He built a home computer using mail order parts before “Personal Computer” was an established phrase, and enjoyed woodworking because he knew that making the perfect piece was better than buying a suitable object. He was a chronic do-it-yourselfer who only backed down from a job when his time was more valuable than the estimate. He was a self-taught guitarist with a large repertoire of songs that his family will forever associate with him, and he found a passion in later life playing and singing for his friends at the Sandy Senior Citizens Center. Val was an avid fan of the Utah Jazz and University of Utah athletics, and had a soft spot for the Chicago Cubs. When asked how he was doing, Val would regularly reply “Normal”; we recognize he was anything but.

Val is preceded in death by his parents, his sisters Deanna and Linda, and his brother Dale. Anyone who knows the family understands that, following a joyful reunion, they kicked off one hell of a party that’s still raging now. Those who remain behind find comfort in the many years they were able to share with Val, and in knowing he never had to sacrifice his cherished independence and that he always had beer in the fridge, ready to share with friends and family. “That’s the most important thing.”

A celebration of Val’s life will be held on Saturday, July 11, 2026. If you would like to join the family in honoring and remembering Val, please reach out to Karla or Dylan for details.