Due to internet outages in the area during Cory's service, the livestream and recording was unable to perform. The slideshow and a recording of those who shared memories is available: https://youtu.be/_XXb-gnV1uM

Cory Petersen died September 23, 2022, at USD Sanford Medical Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD after a two-week battle with a MRSA infection. He was 48 years old.

Cory was born Cory Dee Petersen, on February 7, 1974, in Salt Lake City, Utah at University Hospital to Larry and Nona Kathleen (Smith) Petersen. He attended public school in the Salt Lake City area and graduated from Alta High School in Sandy, Utah. Following high school he worked for Modern Damp Proofing, water proofing basements in the Salt Lake City Area. He would tell anyone that would listen that he helped waterproof Karl Malone's basement. He was a driver for Standard Plumbing Supply for a couple years before moving to South Dakota in 2002.

He started working for Cenex Harvest States in Brandon, SD and spent the next 11 years working for CHS. During his time at CHS he cultivated many relationships with his co-workers. The most important being with Steve (Grady) Koch. Grady went on to be his best friend and a father figure since Cory was so far away from his family. Grady's family became like nieces and nephews to Cory, and he spent many weekends taking Bryce and Brandon fishing or playing Tiger Woods on the Xbox for hours at a time.

In 2005, he met the love of his life Nikki online. They met shortly after and really haven't spent more than days apart since then. Cory and his family welcomed Meaghan Bittiker, Nikki's 3-year-old daughter as their own. Nikki, Cory, and Meaghan moved to Sioux Falls in early 2006. In December of 2006 they added one more to their little family, Aubree Petersen. Cory and Nikki were married on August 18, 2007, in Brookings, SD among family and friends.

Cory continued to work at CHS until August 2013, when a good friend, Dave Schauer encouraged him to apply at Dakota Beverage. He spent the next 9 years as a truck delivery driver with Dakota Beverage. He loved his job but loved the relationships with his coworkers and clients on the several routes he had throughout the years. He was always looking for opportunities to visit his stops even on the weekends. He was very loyal to Dakota Beverage and always trying to get anyone that would listen to try their new products and always telling friends they were drinking the 'wrong brand'.

Cory enjoyed spending time with his nieces and nephews. They lovingly referred to him as Uncle Corn Dog. He always wished they lived closer to spend more quality time with them, but somehow even though sometimes years had passed they always loved being goofy with Uncle Corn Dog.

The Petersen family enjoyed spending nearly every summer/spring weekend loading up their many campers over the years and joining friends at campsites throughout the area. They spent most summer weekends with the Schauer's (Dave and Sara and Dave's Parents Ron and Paula) and other friends that joined the party along the way. Cory also enjoyed entertaining family and friends with Sunday Cookouts. He would always have something smoking on the grill to share with his friends and family while we watched whatever sporting event would be playing on any given Sunday. He was a Dallas Cowboy Fan, but when he married Nikki, he also became a Green Bay Packers Fan. There were a few tense Sundays in the Petersen household when the Cowboys and Packers met in the playoffs…and unfortunately for Cory, he was usually on the losing end of those games.

Cory and Nikki enjoyed watching their girls grow over the years, and Cory always supported his girls in whatever they were doing, even if silently. He was so proud of their accomplishments and shared with many of the people he would see throughout his day. Family was the most important thing to Cory, but this didn't include just his immediate family but also the many close friends he had. There were many family trips that Cory held dear to his heart, most importantly the Yellowstone Camping trip he took with his entire family in 2016, the only part he did NOT enjoy was the 3 hours it took to find the perfect rock to take family pictures by and the surprise trip he planned for Nikki to finally see a live Green Bay Packers Game in 2021.

Grateful for having shared his life are his wife of 15 years, Nikki; daughters Meaghan Bittiker and Aubree Petersen; his fur child Tilly and grandpup Mox; his father Larry (Charlene) Petersen; his brother Jason (Marie) Petersen; his sister Jenilee (Steve) Medell, and children Grayson, Bailey, and Ainsley; his sister, Kaycee (Jared) Bowling, and children Morgan and Kaylee; his sister-in-law Sara (Sid) Mirghani and children Ayden and Aya; his brother-in-law Mike Bittiker; his father-in-law Kelly (Donna) Bittiker; and close friend Steve Koch, and children Brandon, Bryce, and Brianna Koch and Kellen Johnson. Cory is preceded in death by his grandparents Ray and Carol Petersen and James and Marjorie Smith, his mother, Nona Kathleen Petersen; his mother-in-law Patti Jo Bittiker; and his nephew, Zakariya Mirghani.

Funeral services will be held 10:00am Tuesday, October 4, 2022 at Miller Funeral Home-Southside Chapel. Visitation will be held Monday, October 3, 2022 with family present to greet family and friends from 5-7pm.