Randall Petersen

Randall Trent Petersen
July 22, 1961 – February 16, 2026
On Tuesday, February 10, 2026, while at a stoplight in his West Valley City work truck, Randy experienced an arrhythmic heart episode that caused his heart to go into V-Fib. His pulse eventually returned after approximately 45 minutes of CPR. His brain, however, did not survive the lack of oxygen during CPR. He was in the Murray IMC Coronary ICU for 6 days before returning home to his Father in Heaven on Monday, February 16, 2026.

Randy was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, on July 22, 1961, to his loving parents Jack Holger Petersen and Norma Ann Mason Petersen. He grew up in Rose Park in Salt Lake City, attending Onequa Elementary, Glendale Intermediate, and West High School. Randy attended the University of Utah before earning his Bachelor’s degree from Weber State University.

After graduating high school, he served a full-time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, teaching about the Savior Jesus Christ and sharing his love for the gospel in the Honolulu Hawaii Mission. His mission brought him a lifelong love for the Hawaiian people and their culture, as well as the islands and their beautiful oceans. He served in various church callings throughout his life. Upon his passing, his family has received many messages about his pure testimony that inspired others to grow closer to God.

Randy was the middle child of 3 boys, his older brother Kelly and younger brother Dana. He made very close friendships throughout his childhood and adolescence–many of those relationships continued throughout his life, which brought him a lot of happiness. Randy met the love of his life, Sheri, in 1986 and they married 2 years later in the Salt Lake City Temple on September 12, 1988. He asked Sheri to marry him with the phrase, “Will you be my partner forever?”. This theme of “partners forever” became a symbol of loyalty and commitment throughout their life. They had three beautiful children together.

Throughout his career, Randy was known as a hardworking and dedicated man. He worked in the public sector for over 40 years, beginning in Salt Lake City and then in West Valley City. He was deeply respected for being positive and genuine to others. Alongside his full-time job, he consistently took on extra work to give his family more opportunities and the chance to enjoy vacations together. He took pride in the fact that he was a janitor for over 30 years. He and his wife Sheri enjoyed bringing their three kids along, where they taught them the values of working together, having a strong work ethic, and taking pride in your work.

Randy was a man of many talents and interests. In his youth, he enjoyed the thrill of motocross– competing in many races–as well as football, weightlifting, hockey, skiing, camping, and watersports including jet skis and waterskiing. As an adult, he and his wife shared a love for nature which was passed to their kids through many fishing trips, mountain drives, and enjoying scenic views. He worked hard to take his wife and kids on vacations throughout his life, instilling in them the importance of making time for family and creating memories together. He loved turning his kids’ sports tournaments into mini-vacations, going on cruises, and visiting Disneyland with his kids and grandkids. He had a passion for home design and improvement projects; he also loved gardening and spent countless therapeutic hours working in his flower beds and yard.

Above all, Randy was defined by his kindness, his nonjudgmental nature, and his loyalty. He possessed the ability to laugh in tough situations; he was a bit of a jokester, often teasing his wife and family, sparking laughter and countless inside jokes. Despite his kindness, he wasn’t afraid to “tell it like it is”, stand up for his family, and defend his beliefs. His primary passion was his wife, children, and grandchildren. He lived for the moments spent with them. Randy was a constant at nearly every soccer game, dance performance, karate showcase, piano recital, and basketball game for his children—a tradition of devotion he proudly continued for his grandchildren’s sports games, school programs, and concerts. He was hardworking and loyal to a fault, always finding his greatest joy in being present for the people he loved most.

Randy is preceded in death by his parents, Jack Holger Petersen and Norma Mason Petersen.
He is survived by his spouse Sheri McIntosh Petersen; his children and their spouses, Emily (Derek) Stephens, Trenton (Anna) Petersen, and Nicholas (Teresa) Petersen; and his grandkids, Sophia Stephens (9), Ty Petersen (7), Bailee Stephens (6), Hudson Stephens (4), Beckham Petersen (4), Roman Petersen (20 months), and Brooks Stephens (17 months); as well as his brothers Kelly and Dana Petersen.

The family invites friends and loved ones to celebrate Randy’s life:
● The Viewing: February 24, 2026, from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM. at Jenkins Soffe South Valley located at 1007 S. South Jordan Parkway, South Jordan, Utah
● Funeral Service: February 25, 2026, at 12:30 PM (Open Casket from 11:00 AM – 12:00 pm). at South Jordan 6th Ward 2550 West 9800 South, South Jordan, Utah
● Interment: South Jordan Cemetery. 10630South 1055 West, South Jordan, Utah

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Sheri Petersen to assist with funeral expenses via the published GoFundMe page or Venmo (@Sheri-Petersen-2). Memories and/or messages of condolence can be shared at Randy’s online obituary. Thank you to everyone who has donated, shared memories of Randy, or sent messages of support.
As Randy would say every single day when asked how he was doing, “It’s Another Great Day in Paradise!”. He is now truly able to enjoy paradise