Ruth DeLong Peterson 1916 - 2008

PETERSON, DELONG, BRITTON

Posted By: Deb (email)
Date: 12/1/2008 at 15:21:48

The Burlington Hawkeye, 12/1/2008
Ruth Peterson
Ruth DeLong Peterson, 92, of Wayland and formerly of New London died Saturday, Nov. 29, 2008, at Parkview Home in Wayland.
Born Aug. 20, 1916, near Lowell, she was the daughter of Louis LeRoy and Edna Pearl Britton DeLong. On May 30, 1937, she married Wesley C. Peterson in Salem. He died Sept. 22, 2004.

Mrs. Peterson was a reporter for 20 years for the Mount Pleasant News, the Burlington Hawk Eye and the New London Journal. She worked as a librarian, as a tutor and taught adults learning English as a second language. She taught at Elm School near Wayland and at Salem Elementary School. She attended Pleasant Hill School and was a 1932 graduate of Salem High School. She attended Iowa Wesleyan College in Mount Pleasant. She was a 50-year member of New London Methodist Church, where she taught Sunday school and served on many boards and committees.

Mrs. Peterson was a poet and served 20 years as editor of the Iowa Poetry Association's annual collection of poems, Lyrical Iowa. She wrote a history of New London which was published in 1976.

Survivors include one son, James Peterson of Washington; one daughter, Dorothy Peterson of Hiawatha; one grandchild; and two great-grandchildren.

Besides her husband, she was preceded in death by two brothers and one sister.

Visitation will be from 9 to 11 a.m. Wednesday at Elliott Chapel in New London, where the family will receive friends from 10 to 11 a.m.

The funeral for Mrs. Peterson will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Elliott Chapel, with the Rev. Dot Hasler officiating. Burial will be in Burge Cemetery in New London.

A memorial has been established for New London Methodist Church.