Peter (Pete) Louis Paulson, 73, of Osage, Minnesota, passed away on Saturday, Nov. 24, 2018, after a courageous, yearlong fight against pancreatic cancer. He was at his home, surrounded by his beloved family.

Pete was born on April 14, 1945, in Austin, Minnesota, to Floyd and Margaret (Dalquist) Paulson. He graduated from Austin High School in 1963. He received a bachelor’s degree in mathematics in 1967 and a bachelor’s degree in physics and master’s degree in mathematics in 1977, all from Winona State.

In 1968, he met Linda Ward, a fellow teacher in Silver Bay, Minnesota. They were married on Aug. 2, 1969, at First Lutheran Church in Bismarck, North Dakota, and adopted two daughters from South Korea, Dawn Heather in 1974 and Amy Elizabeth in 1977. Pete taught high school in Wabasha, Minnesota, from 1969 to 1978.

In 1978, the family moved to Houston, Texas, where Pete worked as a software engineer for Singer-Link at the Johnson Space Center (NASA). They then moved to Phoenix, Arizona, in 1980, where Pete worked as an engineer at GTE and as an aerospace engineer at Sperry and Honeywell. He proudly worked on many space shuttle projects until he retired in 2009.

Pete and Linda have spent the last ten years in retirement in Osage. Since moving back to Minnesota, Pete was involved in the Osage Lion’s Club, volunteered at the Hubbard County Food Shelf, and enjoyed substitute teaching at Park Rapids High School and working as a boat inspector in the summers on Straight Lake. His hobbies included fishing, hunting, spending time outdoors, boasting of his daughters’ accomplishments, and solving the world’s problems at the men’s coffee group at the Osage Bait & Tackle. He was also a member of Calvary Lutheran Church.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Floyd and Margaret Paulson; and brothers-in-law, Earl Branum and Bob Pritchard. He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Linda; daughters, Dawn Paulson and Amy Paulson (Andrew Hughes) of San Francisco, California; sisters, Marilyn (Charles) Liebold of Spring Valley, Minnesota, Martha Branum of Rochester, Minnesota, and Mary Pritchard of Fayetteville, Arkansas; and many beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

A celebration of life service will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 28, 2018, at Calvary Lutheran Church in Park Rapids with Pastor Stephen Norby officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service on Friday at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are preferred to CHI St. Joseph’s Health, Park Rapids, Calvary Lutheran Church, Park Rapids, or Gratitude Alliance. Cease Funeral Home of Park Rapids is handling arrangements.

The family is creating a special memorial book to commemorate Pete’s life and encourages friends and family to share their favorite stories and photos on his obituary page at www.ceasefuneralhome.com.