Eben Laidlaw

Eben Junior Laidlaw II, age 22, of Grove City, Minnesota, passed away on Saturday, March 14, 2026, in Litchfield, Minnesota.

Born in Litchfield in October 2003 to Grace Laidlaw, Eben was placed with Bryan and Heidi Peterson, who became his permanent parents in December 2004. He attended preschool through high school at ACGC, graduating in 2022. Active in 4-H during his elementary and middle school years, he explored robotics, fishing, and food preservation. These early interests shaped his lifelong enjoyment of building sound systems, tinkering with mechanics, and cooking. He maintained a deep love for music of many genres and spent most of his life in the Grove City and Litchfield area.

Eben began working in food service during high school and later in food production as an adult, with employment at Burger King, Taco John’s, and ADM/Revela. He had a keen appreciation for anything novel and a sharp sense of humor that often found the funny side of situations. He cherished his family and friends, enjoyed family trips, and loved exchanging playful banter. Known for his quick wit, sarcasm, and infectious smirk and chuckle, he brought laughter to those around him. He delighted in time spent with his nephews and nieces, sharing their joy and excitement. His constant companion was his dog, Sam Sam, with whom he shared both closeness and his playful habit of gentle irritation. His time at Revela Foods held special meaning for him because of the people he met and the new things he learned there, including his efforts to study Spanish with a translation app.

Eben is survived by his parents, Bryan and Heidi Peterson of Grove City; siblings Danielle “Nellie” Laidlaw of Litchfield, Kayla Henderson (Tyler Smith) of rural Atwater, Daniel Henderson (Trisha Sunde) of Atwater, and Tristan and Theresa Peterson of Grove City; aunts Sheila Oldenburg of Sauk Rapids and Roberta (Ben) Nelson of Willmar; step-grandfather Richard Rohrbeck of Grove City; cousins Deven and McKell Oldenburg of Fargo, North Dakota, and Avery Nelson of Willmar; nephews and nieces Deklyn Schultz, Zeanna Schultz, Oakley Laidlaw, Natalie Crisman, Reid Barvels, Miles Sunde, Easton Sunde, and Larah Sunde; and his beloved dog Sam Sam. He is also survived by his best friend and numerous extended great-aunts and second cousins.

He was preceded in death by his maternal grandfather Eben Junior Laidlaw I, grandparents Michael and Jean Oldenburg, and his first dog, Bruce.