Jack W. Peterson was born on February 20, 1928, in McGill, Nevada. His family moved to Gunnison, Utah, when he was five years old. He enlisted in the army when he turned eighteen. After boot camp in Virginia, he was sent to Japan as part of the post-war occupation. He served in the military police. When he returned, he worked in plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning. He got married in 1948 and had four children. Their family grew to include twelve grandchildren and thirty-four great-grandchildren.