PETERSON, Vera L.

PETERSON, ROBERTSON, RUD, BUENGER, OIE, HIRSCHMAN, JOHNSON, COPEMAN, TOLZIN

Posted By: Lynette Edsall (email)
Date: 9/13/2006 at 14:27:14

Vera L. Peterson

AURELIA, Iowa -- Vera L. Peterson, 81, of Aurelia, died Monday, March 7, 2005, at her home.

Services will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday, March 10, 2005, at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Cherokee, Iowa, with the Rev. Jim Steen officiating. Burial will be in Good Hope Cemetery at Cherokee. Arrangements are under the direction of Redig Funeral Home in Aurelia.

Vera Louise Robertson was born March 25, 1923, in Scott County, Iowa. Her mother died when she was very young, leaving three boys and three girls of which Vera was the youngest. She was placed in an orphanage in Ottumwa, Iowa, where she would stay until she was adopted. At the age of three, Gus and Sadie Rud of Cleghorn, Iowa, adopted her and brought her to Cleghorn where she grew up and attended school. She graduated from Cleghorn Consolidated School as co-salutatorian of her class in 1941.

On Sept. 23, 1945, Vera married Bertil John Peterson in Cherokee. Vera was a self-taught organist, serving the church from 1943 to 1980 with the exception of a few years. She was organist for many weddings, funerals and special meetings. Vera had been known to play in most of the churches in the county and for funeral chapels when needed.

Survivors include her husband, Bertil of Aurelia; four daughters, Janet Kay and her husband, Norman Buenger of Holstein, Iowa, Kathy Jo and her husband, Ed Oie of Eagan, Minn., Karen Lynn and her husband, Willie Hirschman of Spirit Lake, Iowa, and Julie Ann and her husband, Michael Johnson of Winnebago, Minn.; nine grandchildren, two great-grandchildren; a sister-in-law, Ruthann Copeman of Sun City, Calif.; and a "son," Keith Tolzin, who came to live with the Petersons; and nieces and nephews and other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her biological parents; adopted parents; grandparents; a daughter, Sandra Jean; a grandson, Brian Buenger; three brothers; and two sisters.

A memorial fund has been established.