Shirley Ann Peterson

Shirley (Mrs. Elwood) Peterson, age 77, a longtime resident of rural Willow Lake, SD, died early Monday morning, August 17, 2009, at the Parkview Care Center in Bryant, SD. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, August 20, 2009 at 11AM in the Grace Lutheran Church at Willow Lake the The Reverend David Larson officiating. Burial will follow in the Collins Cemetery at Willow Lake. Music will be provided by organist JoAnn Eggleston and soloist Bruce Mogen. The casketbearers will be Bruce Mogen, Bradley Mair, John Harper, Gary and Bryan Carstensen and Rich Schroeder. Visitation will be from 9AM until service time on Thursday at the Church in Willow Lake. Shirley Ann Peterson was born on August 1, 1932 at Bryant, SD, the daughter of Hans John and Vera (Hoffman) Carstensen. She grew up 3 miles south of Bryant, attended country school and Bryant High School. On October 21, 1951 she was united in marriage to Elwood Peterson at the St. Paul Lutheran Church in Bryant. The couple lived in Willow Lake where she worked at Dyer's Grocery Store and also for the Crouse's at The Drugstore. In 1956, the couple moved to a farm west of Willow Lake where they have resided since. Shirley left the farm 3 days ago when she moved into the Parkview Care Center at Bryant. Shirley was a member of the Grace Lutheran Church at Willow Lake. Some of her hobbies included embroidery in earlier years and since being on the farm she loved being outdoors - in a garden whether it be tending to flowers or vegetables, mowing the lawn, tending to all the buildings, raising chickens or taking care of the cats. In the home she will long be remembered for her fantastic cooking and baking abilities. She cherished her family, love her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and when asked recently, "What was your greatest accomplishment in life", she replied "My four children". Grateful for having shared in her life is her husband of nearly 58 years, Elwood of rural Willow Lake, her four children and their spouses, Rickie (Charlene) Peterson of Willow Lake, Bonnie (Bruce) Mogen of Dell Rapids, Randy (Kelli) Peterson of Huron and Rebecca (Bradley) Mair of Sioux Falls, four grandchildren, Christa (John) Harper of Watertown, Cole and Spencer Peterson and Brett Mogen; two great-grandchildren, Evelyn and Emma Harper, a brother, Gerald Carstensen of Bryant and two sisters, Dora (LeRoy) Spilde of Casselton, ND and Delores (Edward) Chapin of Vienna. Preceding her in death were her parents and a sister-in-law, Elvera Carstensen. Funeral services are announced by the Furness Funeral Home of Clark, SD.