FARMINGTON – James Petersen’s study of ancient people and their cultures will help guide researchers into the future, friends and colleagues said during a memorial service Monday.
Petersen, 51, an anthropology professor at the University of Vermont and formerly at the University of Maine at Farmington, was killed Aug. 13 during a robbery at a restaurant while on a research trip in the Amazon rain forest in Brazil.
Petersen founded the Archaeology Research Center at UMF where he taught from 1983 to 1997 before moving to Vermont.
He was remembered Monday for his insatiable curiosity, disciplined work ethic, elemental kindness, attention to detail, love of learning and instilling that love in his students and those around him. He was also remembered for his selfless and intense interest in humanity and sharing of articles he would come across in archaeology and anthropology.
Petersen had conducted extensive archaeological field work in northern New England, Montana, various Caribbean islands and the Brazilian Amazon.
Jennifer Brennan, Petersen’s wife, said her husband of nearly nine years knew what he wanted to do since he was 10 years old and didn’t change his mind about studying archaeology.
The couple had met and married in Farmington.
“I know I never will accept the way Jim died but Jim died” doing what he liked to do, Brennan said to about 100 people who came to the service at the Old South First Congregational Church.
UMF Sociology Professor Jon Oplinger said he was always impressed with the reverence Jim had of “good science, good anthropology. He loathed bad science,” he said. “He was intolerant of lazy work.”
UMF Director of Archaeology Ellen Cowie said Petersen’s passion of archaeology made them all passionate about archaeology. She said she’ll never forget Petersen’s sage advice: “Do what you think is best and everything will be OK.'” She and others have reflected on that advice many times, she said.
Dennis Stires of Livermore said Petersen had high standards in his work and invited teenagers and college students to work at digs in Canton and Turner.
Professor Eduardo Neves of Brazil and the University of Sao Paulo said he was with Petersen when he died and had worked with him for more than 10 years.
He said Petersen was so open, humble and “so honest” about his work in the Amazon. In just 10 years, he influenced many students to further their education in the field, he said.
“I think he loved what he did,” Neves said. “I think he was always happy to be in the field.”
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