Elaine Avis Peterson

Funeral service for Elaine Peterson, age 91, of Milaca, formerly of Onamia and Willmar, will be held on Friday, September 7, 2012 at 7 PM at First Baptist Church in Milaca. Visitation will be from 5 – 7 PM Friday at the church. Interment will take place at the Fairview Cemetery in Willmar on Saturday, September 8 at 11 AM. Casketbearers will include Chad Peterson, Joel Peterson, Jesse Peterson, Mark Wolbert, Brady Peterson, Calvin Peterson and Lincoln Wolbert. Elaine Avis Peterson was born on May 17, 1921 to Allie and Lillian (Gauer) Anderstrom in Lake Lillian township, MN. She grew up on a farm near Lake Lillian with her five brothers. She attended a country school and then Atwater High School, where she graduated in 1939. Elaine attended Bethel College in St. Paul and Biola Bible College in Los Angeles, CA. For a short time, she worked with a church in Duluth doing outreach. She walked door to door inviting folks to Sunday School. She was united in marriage to Lt. Algene Peterson on May 5, 1943 in El Paso, TX, while Algene was serving in the Army during World War II. After the war, they made their home in Willmar where Elaine was active in the First Baptist Church, the Rice Memorial Hosptial Auxilliary and Gideon Auxilliary. The couple had two children, Craig and Joy. In 1976, they moved to Onamia, where they assisted their son, Craig, at the Peterson-Johnson Funeral Home in Milaca and Onamia and became members of the Isle Baptist Church. In 1995, the couple moved to Cambridge, residing at Mill Ridge Commons. Algene passed away on May 17, 1996. In 2001, Elaine purchased a townhome in Milaca and lived there until she moved to her son’s home in Milaca in 2004. In 2009, Elaine moved into the Milaca Elim Home. Elaine was always active in their church, taught Sunday School, release time classes, sang in the choir and was often a soloist. Later in her life, she would play beautiful old hymns by ear on the piano. Elaine enjoyed knitting afghans and was a great cook and loved entertaining. She spent much of her time helping her daughter, Joy, until her death on September 1, 2002. Elaine was loved by many and enjoyed keeping track of life long-friends and family members. She passed away on Tuesday, September 4, 2012 at the Milaca Elim Home. She is survived by her son, Craig (JoAnne) of Milaca; four grandchildren and fifteen great-grandchildren, Chad (Andrea) of Princeton and Brady, Calvin, Isabella and Graham; Cindy (Mark) Wolbert and Olivia, Alicia, Lincoln and Lewis; Joel (Deb) of Buffalo and Lydia, Joselyn and Aliya and Jesse (Rebecca) of Aitkin and Peyton, Tessa, Julia and Landon; also by many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Algene; daughter, Joy; great-grandson, Luke and five brothers, Burton, Calvin, Roger, Ivan and Gene Anderstrom.