Rockland’s former county finance director died Friday after a brief illness. Harold J. Peterson was involved in public service most of his life, including stints as Yonkers’ Commissioner of Fiscal Services and then as Rockland County’s Finance Commissioner under then-County Executive John Grant’s administration starting in 1986. He also worked with several non-profit organizations, including 25 years as chairman of ARC’s annual golf outing, and both the Nyack Hospital Board of Trustees and the Good Samaritan Hospital Foundation Board. A wake will be held at Higgins Funeral Home in New City from 3 to 8pm tomorrow. A funeral mass will be celebrated at St. Augustine’s in New City at 10am Thursday. Peterson is survived by his wife, Stella, his daughter and son and his grandchildren. He was 77 years old.