LaVada Petersen, age 89, of Newell, Iowa died very peacefully on the afternoon of October 11, 2006 at Newell Good Samaritan Center.
Laura LaVada Miller was born January 16, 1917 in Purdy, Iowa in Lucas County to Edward Elmer Miller and Edna Rosetta (Clement) Miller. She was baptized in the First Christian Church in Belinda, Iowa at the age of 12 years. She received her first eight years of her education in country schools in English township, also in Lucas County. She moved to Chariton, Iowa to finish her high school education, graduation in 1934. Following her college education in Des Moines, Iowa and at Buena Vista College in Storm Lake, Iowa, she then taught school in several country schools for three years.
LaVada moved with her parents to a farm in Buena Vista County, Iowa in 1938, where she met her neighbor "across the fence." On August 13, 1939, she was married to that neighbor, Eugene Aroe Petersen, in a beautiful ceremony in the Sulphur Springs Church in Sulphur Springs, Iowa. Three children were born to this union: Leah Rosetta, Jon Ralph and Donald Eugene.
The Petersens spent most of their lives farming in the Newell, Iowa area until 1974, when they decided to retire to Phoenix, Arizona. Finding retirement boring, the couple began renovating homes for resale and managing apartment complexes until they decided to "really" retire. LaVada worked for several years as a nurse's aide at Methodist Manor and Buena Vista County Hospital in Storm Lake. She was an active member of the Buena Vista County Rebekah Lodge #258 her entire life, and served as the Iowa Rebekah Assembly state president from 1965—1966. She was a member of the Ladies Encampment Auxiliary #86 of Storm Lake and the Ladies Auxiliary of the Patriarch Millatant of Storm Lake. In Phoenix, she joined the Charity Rebekah Lodge #6 and was very active there, as well. Other activities LaVada enjoyed included singing with the Buena Vista Choral group and her membership in the Rural Study Club of Providence Township in Buena Vista County. LaVada enjoyed baking wedding cakes and making wedding dresses for several brides in the area. She loved her crafts and music a great deal. She also enjoyed spending time doing church work in both Nain Lutheran Church in Newell and Camelback Christian Church in Phoenix.
For the past few years, LaVada has lived back in Newell in an apartment, wanting to enjoy her time with her family. LaVada spent a great deal of time with her family, traveling between Phoenix, Newell and Arkansas on a regular basis. She had been in failing health for some time and finally entered Newell Good Samaritan Home in Newell in the fall of 2005, where she resided until the time of her death.
LaVada was preceded in death by her parents, Ed and Edna Miller; her husband, Eugene Petersen; sister Lucile Anderson of Chariton, Iowa; sister Cleta Thomas and husband, Richard, of Lakeside, Iowa; sister Madalyn Clothier and husband, Walter, of Applington, Iowa; brother Clement Miller and wife, Jess, of Fairmont, Minnesota; parents-in-law Andrew and Ivo Petersen; and brother-in-law Ralph Petersen of Newell.
She is survived by her daughter, Leah Franzmeier, of Newell; son Jon and wife Joy Petersen of Lead Hill, Arkansas; son Donald and wife Joan Petersen of Phoenix, Arizona; brother Calvin "Bud" and wife Shirley Miller of Dayton, Iowa; 11 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren and their spouses; other relatives and a host of friends.
Obituary & Photo is from The Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home
Laura LaVada Miller was born January 16, 1917 in Purdy, Iowa in Lucas County to Edward Elmer Miller and Edna Rosetta (Clement) Miller. She was baptized in the First Christian Church in Belinda, Iowa at the age of 12 years. She received her first eight years of her education in country schools in English township, also in Lucas County. She moved to Chariton, Iowa to finish her high school education, graduation in 1934. Following her college education in Des Moines, Iowa and at Buena Vista College in Storm Lake, Iowa, she then taught school in several country schools for three years.
LaVada moved with her parents to a farm in Buena Vista County, Iowa in 1938, where she met her neighbor "across the fence." On August 13, 1939, she was married to that neighbor, Eugene Aroe Petersen, in a beautiful ceremony in the Sulphur Springs Church in Sulphur Springs, Iowa. Three children were born to this union: Leah Rosetta, Jon Ralph and Donald Eugene.
The Petersens spent most of their lives farming in the Newell, Iowa area until 1974, when they decided to retire to Phoenix, Arizona. Finding retirement boring, the couple began renovating homes for resale and managing apartment complexes until they decided to "really" retire. LaVada worked for several years as a nurse's aide at Methodist Manor and Buena Vista County Hospital in Storm Lake. She was an active member of the Buena Vista County Rebekah Lodge #258 her entire life, and served as the Iowa Rebekah Assembly state president from 1965—1966. She was a member of the Ladies Encampment Auxiliary #86 of Storm Lake and the Ladies Auxiliary of the Patriarch Millatant of Storm Lake. In Phoenix, she joined the Charity Rebekah Lodge #6 and was very active there, as well. Other activities LaVada enjoyed included singing with the Buena Vista Choral group and her membership in the Rural Study Club of Providence Township in Buena Vista County. LaVada enjoyed baking wedding cakes and making wedding dresses for several brides in the area. She loved her crafts and music a great deal. She also enjoyed spending time doing church work in both Nain Lutheran Church in Newell and Camelback Christian Church in Phoenix.
For the past few years, LaVada has lived back in Newell in an apartment, wanting to enjoy her time with her family. LaVada spent a great deal of time with her family, traveling between Phoenix, Newell and Arkansas on a regular basis. She had been in failing health for some time and finally entered Newell Good Samaritan Home in Newell in the fall of 2005, where she resided until the time of her death.
LaVada was preceded in death by her parents, Ed and Edna Miller; her husband, Eugene Petersen; sister Lucile Anderson of Chariton, Iowa; sister Cleta Thomas and husband, Richard, of Lakeside, Iowa; sister Madalyn Clothier and husband, Walter, of Applington, Iowa; brother Clement Miller and wife, Jess, of Fairmont, Minnesota; parents-in-law Andrew and Ivo Petersen; and brother-in-law Ralph Petersen of Newell.
She is survived by her daughter, Leah Franzmeier, of Newell; son Jon and wife Joy Petersen of Lead Hill, Arkansas; son Donald and wife Joan Petersen of Phoenix, Arizona; brother Calvin "Bud" and wife Shirley Miller of Dayton, Iowa; 11 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren and their spouses; other relatives and a host of friends.
Obituary & Photo is from The Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home
LaVada Petersen, age 89, of Newell, Iowa died very peacefully on the afternoon of October 11, 2006 at Newell Good Samaritan Center.
Laura LaVada Miller was born January 16, 1917 in Purdy, Iowa in Lucas County to Edward Elmer Miller and Edna Rosetta (Clement) Miller. She was baptized in the First Christian Church in Belinda, Iowa at the age of 12 years. She received her first eight years of her education in country schools in English township, also in Lucas County. She moved to Chariton, Iowa to finish her high school education, graduation in 1934. Following her college education in Des Moines, Iowa and at Buena Vista College in Storm Lake, Iowa, she then taught school in several country schools for three years.
LaVada moved with her parents to a farm in Buena Vista County, Iowa in 1938, where she met her neighbor "across the fence." On August 13, 1939, she was married to that neighbor, Eugene Aroe Petersen, in a beautiful ceremony in the Sulphur Springs Church in Sulphur Springs, Iowa. Three children were born to this union: Leah Rosetta, Jon Ralph and Donald Eugene.
The Petersens spent most of their lives farming in the Newell, Iowa area until 1974, when they decided to retire to Phoenix, Arizona. Finding retirement boring, the couple began renovating homes for resale and managing apartment complexes until they decided to "really" retire. LaVada worked for several years as a nurse's aide at Methodist Manor and Buena Vista County Hospital in Storm Lake. She was an active member of the Buena Vista County Rebekah Lodge #258 her entire life, and served as the Iowa Rebekah Assembly state president from 1965—1966. She was a member of the Ladies Encampment Auxiliary #86 of Storm Lake and the Ladies Auxiliary of the Patriarch Millatant of Storm Lake. In Phoenix, she joined the Charity Rebekah Lodge #6 and was very active there, as well. Other activities LaVada enjoyed included singing with the Buena Vista Choral group and her membership in the Rural Study Club of Providence Township in Buena Vista County. LaVada enjoyed baking wedding cakes and making wedding dresses for several brides in the area. She loved her crafts and music a great deal. She also enjoyed spending time doing church work in both Nain Lutheran Church in Newell and Camelback Christian Church in Phoenix.
For the past few years, LaVada has lived back in Newell in an apartment, wanting to enjoy her time with her family. LaVada spent a great deal of time with her family, traveling between Phoenix, Newell and Arkansas on a regular basis. She had been in failing health for some time and finally entered Newell Good Samaritan Home in Newell in the fall of 2005, where she resided until the time of her death.
LaVada was preceded in death by her parents, Ed and Edna Miller; her husband, Eugene Petersen; sister Lucile Anderson of Chariton, Iowa; sister Cleta Thomas and husband, Richard, of Lakeside, Iowa; sister Madalyn Clothier and husband, Walter, of Applington, Iowa; brother Clement Miller and wife, Jess, of Fairmont, Minnesota; parents-in-law Andrew and Ivo Petersen; and brother-in-law Ralph Petersen of Newell.
She is survived by her daughter, Leah Franzmeier, of Newell; son Jon and wife Joy Petersen of Lead Hill, Arkansas; son Donald and wife Joan Petersen of Phoenix, Arizona; brother Calvin "Bud" and wife Shirley Miller of Dayton, Iowa; 11 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren and their spouses; other relatives and a host of friends.
Obituary & Photo is from The Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home
Laura LaVada Miller was born January 16, 1917 in Purdy, Iowa in Lucas County to Edward Elmer Miller and Edna Rosetta (Clement) Miller. She was baptized in the First Christian Church in Belinda, Iowa at the age of 12 years. She received her first eight years of her education in country schools in English township, also in Lucas County. She moved to Chariton, Iowa to finish her high school education, graduation in 1934. Following her college education in Des Moines, Iowa and at Buena Vista College in Storm Lake, Iowa, she then taught school in several country schools for three years.
LaVada moved with her parents to a farm in Buena Vista County, Iowa in 1938, where she met her neighbor "across the fence." On August 13, 1939, she was married to that neighbor, Eugene Aroe Petersen, in a beautiful ceremony in the Sulphur Springs Church in Sulphur Springs, Iowa. Three children were born to this union: Leah Rosetta, Jon Ralph and Donald Eugene.
The Petersens spent most of their lives farming in the Newell, Iowa area until 1974, when they decided to retire to Phoenix, Arizona. Finding retirement boring, the couple began renovating homes for resale and managing apartment complexes until they decided to "really" retire. LaVada worked for several years as a nurse's aide at Methodist Manor and Buena Vista County Hospital in Storm Lake. She was an active member of the Buena Vista County Rebekah Lodge #258 her entire life, and served as the Iowa Rebekah Assembly state president from 1965—1966. She was a member of the Ladies Encampment Auxiliary #86 of Storm Lake and the Ladies Auxiliary of the Patriarch Millatant of Storm Lake. In Phoenix, she joined the Charity Rebekah Lodge #6 and was very active there, as well. Other activities LaVada enjoyed included singing with the Buena Vista Choral group and her membership in the Rural Study Club of Providence Township in Buena Vista County. LaVada enjoyed baking wedding cakes and making wedding dresses for several brides in the area. She loved her crafts and music a great deal. She also enjoyed spending time doing church work in both Nain Lutheran Church in Newell and Camelback Christian Church in Phoenix.
For the past few years, LaVada has lived back in Newell in an apartment, wanting to enjoy her time with her family. LaVada spent a great deal of time with her family, traveling between Phoenix, Newell and Arkansas on a regular basis. She had been in failing health for some time and finally entered Newell Good Samaritan Home in Newell in the fall of 2005, where she resided until the time of her death.
LaVada was preceded in death by her parents, Ed and Edna Miller; her husband, Eugene Petersen; sister Lucile Anderson of Chariton, Iowa; sister Cleta Thomas and husband, Richard, of Lakeside, Iowa; sister Madalyn Clothier and husband, Walter, of Applington, Iowa; brother Clement Miller and wife, Jess, of Fairmont, Minnesota; parents-in-law Andrew and Ivo Petersen; and brother-in-law Ralph Petersen of Newell.
She is survived by her daughter, Leah Franzmeier, of Newell; son Jon and wife Joy Petersen of Lead Hill, Arkansas; son Donald and wife Joan Petersen of Phoenix, Arizona; brother Calvin "Bud" and wife Shirley Miller of Dayton, Iowa; 11 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren and their spouses; other relatives and a host of friends.
Obituary & Photo is from The Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Advertisement
