James William “Squirrel” Peterson was born February 8, 1965 in Ponca City, Oklahoma. James attended schools in Marland and Ponca City, graduating PO-HI in 1983. James worked for Peterson Plumbing, Sober Brothers, City of Ponca City, J&J Trenching and back to Sober Brothers, where an injury in 2023 retired him. November of 2025, James, Trish and Dixie moved to Phillipsburg, MO to spend more time with the grandkids. He is preceded in death by his father David Peterson; father-in-law, Jerry Nash; uncle, Mike Peterson; his grandparents and many others.