Ann Petersen

ANN MARIE PETERSEN was born on December 7, 1936 to Melvin and Clara (Graslie) Wright in Brookings County, South Dakota. She was baptized in Brookings County on January 12, 1937 and confirmed at Zion Lutheran Church in White, South Dakota in 1950. She grew up on the family farm until 1944 when the family moved to White. She attended country school until third grade and then went to school in White through freshman year and attended Pipestone for one year. She then moved with her family back to the farm and graduated from Hendricks, Minnesota in 1954. She worked in De Moines, Iowa for six months and then came back and worked at the B & M Caf in Lake Benton, Minnesota. On February 23, 1958, Ann was united in marriage to Melvin Petersen at the Lutheran Church in Marvin, South Dakota. Their union was blessed with three children and 34 years of marriage. The couple made their home and raised their children on the farm in Fountain Prairie Township of Pipestone County, Minnesota. In 1994, she moved into Pipestone and lived there until 1998 when she retired from the Pipestone County Hospital. Since then she has resided in Lake Benton. She was admitted into the Pipestone County Hospice House on Sunday, February 1, 2015 where she died on Tuesday, February 10, 2015 at the age of 78 years, two months and three days.

Ann was a member of the St. John’s Lutheran Church in Lake Benton where she taught Sunday school, was in the choir, member of Dorcas and on the Altar Guild. Her favorite pastime was fishing, playing cards, putting puzzles together and reading. She enjoyed spending time with family and friends and especially her grandchildren, sometimes playing tricks on them.

She is lovingly remembered by her children, Doug (Lisa) Petersen of Jasper, Minnesota, Lori (Allan) Grenz of Elkton, South Dakota and David (Renee) Petersen of Elkton, South Dakota; grandchildren, Kari and Bryce Petersen, Deven and ShayAnna Grenz, Joshua, Shane, Nicole, Noah and KayLee Petersen; three brothers, Clifford (Judy) Wright of White, South Dakota, James Wright of Lake Preston, South Dakota and Richard (Lynea) Wright of Grenville, South Dakota; one sister, Clarice (Orlan) Borns of Milbank, South Dakota; one brother-in-law, Raymond Petersen of White; one sister-in-law, Arlene (Dale) Lambert of Verdi, Minnesota. She was preceded in death by her husband, Melvin; her parents; one sister-in-law; and two stillborn babies.