Thomas Albert Peterson

Thomas Albert Peterson, 27, of Stillwater, MN, passed away on May 19 after a courageous battle with OCD.

Ultimately, the pain of his illness became too heavy to bear. We take comfort in knowing he is finally at peace.

Thomas was so much more than his illness. He was an extremely kind-hearted, understanding, caring, and thoughtful soul who brought joy and laughter wherever he went.

During Thomas' all-too-short life, he achieved many accomplishments. He earned the rank of Eagle Scout, received an Associate of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Century College, and obtained his EMT certification. For the last two-plus years, Thomas worked in facilities maintenance for Washington County.

His proudest accomplishment, however, was serving as a wildland firefighter for the USDA Forest Service in numerous states throughout the country.

Thomas' goal was always to help those in need in whatever way he could.

Thomas was preceded in death by his grandfathers, Dean Wollmuth and Ken "Bud" Peterson. He is survived by his parents, Mark Peterson (Jean) and Jennifer Briski; his brother, Andrew Peterson (Lynsey); his special aunt and uncle, Tonya and Steve Enich; his special cousins, Jenny Kaczor and Molly Casey, and their families; his grandparents, Ron and Connie Briski, Nancy Wollmuth, Marge Peterson, and Bill Peterson (Faedra); his best friend, Alex Serier; and many other family members and friends.

A memorial service to celebrate Thomas' life will be held on Wednesday, July 15, at 1:30 p.m. at Bradshaw in Stillwater. 

Visitation will begin at 12:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to NAMI or to a pet rescue organization in your area.