TRUMAN — A memorial service for Mary L. Peterson, age 85, of Truman, Minn., will be noon Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020, at Waverly Lutheran Church in rural Trimont, Minn. Visitation will be held prior to the service at the church beginning at 10 a.m. Burial will be held at a later date.

Mary passed away Sunday, Feb. 9, 2020, at her home in Truman. The family requests that memorials be directed to Truman Senior Living Center or Waverly Lutheran Church music program.

Lakeview Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Fairmont is assisting the family with arrangements.

There’s going to be more 1940s Boogie-Woogie music in heaven these days. Mary Louise Rosenwinkel Peterson has arrived. She suddenly alighted up high (probably in the company of a few alto-singing angels) Sunday evening, Feb. 9, 2020, very much to the surprise of her family and those who loved her. But she could do that — surprise you. Surprise you with her humor, her tenacity when the going got tough, her determined forcefulness on any topic you’d dare talk to her about (you took your chances when it came to politics and religion, not to say most everything else too). But wrapped up in all those surprises was Mary’s indelible gift of bringing fun to the party of life. Her mostly uncensored thoughts could burst any dam and flood around anyone in their way. Everyone in Mary’s life quickly learned how to sink or swim. And there was fun in both because she’d be there to save you or goad you on.

Mother Mary, as her children have long called her, was born and raised on a farm on the north end of Fairmont, Minn., just across a field from Buffalo Lake to Ed and Selma Rosenwinkel. As the only girl in a family of five boys (Lyle, Howard, Eugene, James and Edward), she quickly learned how to dig up her dolls that her brothers buried on the farm site. And, boy, was it a musical family. Mary and her brothers knew how to harmonize barbershop-style to every Missouri-synod Lutheran hymn there was. Her mother and aunt were great pianists and church organists. She became one, too.

Thanks to Fairmont’s famous King Korn Days, Mary met Lee Edward Peterson of Truman, married him on July 17, 1954 (positively the hottest day of that year) at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Fairmont, and “Began The Beguine” of generating children: Bryan, Scott, Jay, Todd and Andrea.

Not one for wanting to hang around the house, Mary had a coterie of farm girls who would cook and clean, and chase after her kids. She, rather, dolled-up daily and worked at Buttrey’s Clothing in Fairmont before segueing into a many years-long career as an Activities Coordinator and Director at the Lutheran Retirement Home in Truman, Minnesota. There wasn’t a day without Mary being at the piano, making music, and creating engaging fun for the residents the minute she walked in those nursing home doors.

Mary did her level best to adapt her German Lutheran ways into the Norwegian Lutheran-style of Waverly Lutheran Church in rural Trimont/Truman, where she was active on many fronts for her entire married life. She was THE alto voice of the church choir for many years. Ask anyone. And there’s not a dish or plate in the church basement kitchen she hasn’t washed or dried over the years.

But through the ups and downs of life, including losing her youngest son, Todd, and husband, Lee, to cancer, as well as so many other family members and friends through the years, Mary kept the music playing. She loved jazzing up a rendition of the song “Tea For Two” on the piano. No doubt she’s doing the same thing in The Great Blue Yonder. But she’s adapted the title to “Tea For Many.” Mother Mary always knew how to attract a crowd.

Those left to cherish her memory include Mary’s four children, Bryan, Scott, Jay (Kathy) and Andrea (Tim) Christensen; daughter-in-law, Cynthia; six grandchildren, Allicia, Calvin, Hayden, Danielle, Chelsey and Eli; three great-grandchildren; brothers, James (Carol) Rosenwinkel and Edward Rosenwinkel; sister-in-law, Darlene Rosenwinkel; many nieces, nephews, cousins, other extended family and friends.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents; parents-in-law; husband, Lee Peterson; and son, Todd Peterson.

www.lakeviewfuneralhome.net

TRUMAN — A memorial service for Mary L. Peterson, age 85, of Truman, Minn., will be noon Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020, at Waverly Lutheran Church in rural Trimont, Minn. Visitation will be held prior to the service at the church beginning at 10 a.m. Burial will be held at a later date.

Mary passed away Sunday, Feb. 9, 2020, at her home in Truman. The family requests that memorials be directed to Truman Senior Living Center or Waverly Lutheran Church music program.

Lakeview Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Fairmont is assisting the family with arrangements.

There’s going to be more 1940s Boogie-Woogie music in heaven these days. Mary Louise Rosenwinkel Peterson has arrived. She suddenly alighted up high (probably in the company of a few alto-singing angels) Sunday evening, Feb. 9, 2020, very much to the surprise of her family and those who loved her. But she could do that — surprise you. Surprise you with her humor, her tenacity when the going got tough, her determined forcefulness on any topic you’d dare talk to her about (you took your chances when it came to politics and religion, not to say most everything else too). But wrapped up in all those surprises was Mary’s indelible gift of bringing fun to the party of life. Her mostly uncensored thoughts could burst any dam and flood around anyone in their way. Everyone in Mary’s life quickly learned how to sink or swim. And there was fun in both because she’d be there to save you or goad you on.

Mother Mary, as her children have long called her, was born and raised on a farm on the north end of Fairmont, Minn., just across a field from Buffalo Lake to Ed and Selma Rosenwinkel. As the only girl in a family of five boys (Lyle, Howard, Eugene, James and Edward), she quickly learned how to dig up her dolls that her brothers buried on the farm site. And, boy, was it a musical family. Mary and her brothers knew how to harmonize barbershop-style to every Missouri-synod Lutheran hymn there was. Her mother and aunt were great pianists and church organists. She became one, too.

Thanks to Fairmont’s famous King Korn Days, Mary met Lee Edward Peterson of Truman, married him on July 17, 1954 (positively the hottest day of that year) at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Fairmont, and “Began The Beguine” of generating children: Bryan, Scott, Jay, Todd and Andrea.

Not one for wanting to hang around the house, Mary had a coterie of farm girls who would cook and clean, and chase after her kids. She, rather, dolled-up daily and worked at Buttrey’s Clothing in Fairmont before segueing into a many years-long career as an Activities Coordinator and Director at the Lutheran Retirement Home in Truman, Minnesota. There wasn’t a day without Mary being at the piano, making music, and creating engaging fun for the residents the minute she walked in those nursing home doors.

Mary did her level best to adapt her German Lutheran ways into the Norwegian Lutheran-style of Waverly Lutheran Church in rural Trimont/Truman, where she was active on many fronts for her entire married life. She was THE alto voice of the church choir for many years. Ask anyone. And there’s not a dish or plate in the church basement kitchen she hasn’t washed or dried over the years.

But through the ups and downs of life, including losing her youngest son, Todd, and husband, Lee, to cancer, as well as so many other family members and friends through the years, Mary kept the music playing. She loved jazzing up a rendition of the song “Tea For Two” on the piano. No doubt she’s doing the same thing in The Great Blue Yonder. But she’s adapted the title to “Tea For Many.” Mother Mary always knew how to attract a crowd.

Those left to cherish her memory include Mary’s four children, Bryan, Scott, Jay (Kathy) and Andrea (Tim) Christensen; daughter-in-law, Cynthia; six grandchildren, Allicia, Calvin, Hayden, Danielle, Chelsey and Eli; three great-grandchildren; brothers, James (Carol) Rosenwinkel and Edward Rosenwinkel; sister-in-law, Darlene Rosenwinkel; many nieces, nephews, cousins, other extended family and friends.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents; parents-in-law; husband, Lee Peterson; and son, Todd Peterson.

www.lakeviewfuneralhome.net

COMMENTS

[vivafbcomment]