Dolly Peterson, age 93, of Canby passed away on Thursday, August 2, 2012 at the Sylvan Court Nursing Home in Canby.
Funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, August 6, 2012 at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Canby with Rev. Janet Colby officiating. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. on Sunday, August 5 at Birk Funeral Home in Canby with a prayer service at 7 p.m. Visitation will continue at the church on Monday one hour prior to the service. Burial will be in Canby City Cemetery, Canby, Minnesota.
Dolly Viola Peterson was born on August 7, 1918 to Louis and Christine (Christiansen) Petersen. She attended rural school and then graduated from Morris Ag School. She was born on the farm where she lived for 60 years until she moved to Canby on Walnut Street where she continued her farming/gardening in her backyard. Her last few years she lived at Sylvan Place, then Sylvan House and finally Sylvan Court, where she passed away on Thursday, August 2, 2012 at the age of 93 years, 11 months, and 26 days.
On November 20, 1945 Dolly married Harlan Peterson in Canby, Minnesota, at this time she was blessed with Harlan’s 2 daughters Darlene and MaryAnne. This union was also later blessed with two sons, Donn and Gary. She devoted her life to the farm, her children and grandchildren. She was very proud being the farm manager after Harlan passed away on October 9, 1952. She especially enjoyed raising sheep, chickens, capons, and 4-H livestock projects for her children. It wasn’t unusual for her to be delivering lambs at 2 am on a cold, cold February morning. Even as a little girl she loved farming and was very involved with crops and livestock even until her very last days.
She was a member of Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church, where she served as member and officer of WELCA and as a Sunday school teacher. She also served as a 4-H leader, meals on wheels volunteer, and homemaker’s club member. She loved to sew and made quilts for grandchildren and countless quilts and layette sets for church projects. She sewed dresses for herself, daughters and granddaughters. She was an excellent cook. She always had cookies or bars on hand for guests and neighbors who might stop by. Dolly was an inspiration to many family and friends and will be sadly missed by all who knew her.
Grateful for having shared in Dolly’s life are her children: MaryAnne (Pat) O’Reilly of Canby, Donn (Barb) Peterson of Canby, Gary (Denise Sik) Peterson of Canby; son-in-law, Gordon Palm of Canby; eleven grandchildren, Nathan (Michelle) Palm, Leland (Teri) Palm, Jon (Carrie) O’Reilly, Kim (Thad) Hahn, Patrick (Gretchen) O’Reilly, Josh (Tami) Peterson, Natalie (Jeff) Jerzak, Jordan Peterson, Heidi (Cody) Eastman, Mandy (Seth) Kirchner, and Amy (Bill) VanLith; and 22 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Harlan Peterson; daughter, Darlene Palm; parents, Louis and Christine Petersen; and brother, Alvin Petersen.
Blessed be her memory.
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