Ruth Mareé (Stoll) Peterson died unexpectedly on Jan. 5, 2017. She was born Feb. 25, 1929 to Herman Clarence Stoll and Inga Strand Stoll Hein in Decorah, Iowa. Ruth was baptized and confirmed at Washington Prairie Lutheran Church. Ruth graduated from Cresco (Iowa) High School in 1946. Ruth attended Waldorf College in Forest City, Iowa, and Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, where she earned her Certificate in Education. Ruth taught school at Fremont Township, #7 Rural school in the 1947-48 school year and then at Lime Springs (Iowa) Elementary for the 1948-49 school year. Ruth married the love of her life, LaVerne Burnett Peterson on April 24, 1949, at the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Cresco, Iowa. Ruth and LaVerne moved to Grundy Center, Iowa, then Locust, Iowa, and then in 1953 to a farm in northeast Iowa, south of Harmony, Minn. They raised their seven children and farmed crops and milked cows. Ruth was an active member of the Fremont Lutheran Church and 4-H.
In 1971, Ruth and her husband LaVerne and five of their seven children moved to Prescott Valley, Ariz. They started L & H Building Center with Harold and Donna Stoks. Ruth was instrumental in starting the Prescott Valley Library, was a Girl Scout Leader, an active member of the American Lutheran Church. When LaVerne retired in 1983 they moved to Lake Havasu City, Ariz., where they lived until LaVerne passed away in 1992. In 1993, Ruth moved back to Prescott to be near family. She was a volunteer at the Prescott V.A. hospital, a member of the Mountain Spinners and Weavers Guild and a member of the Thumb Butte Quilt Guild and the Prescott United Methodist Church and sang in their choir. Ruth was an avid reader throughout her life, which she passed on to many of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Ruth loved to travel, working outside in her garden, sewing and quilting her whole life. Ruth loved to talk about her family’s accomplishments and was very proud of all that they did in their lives.
She is preceded in death by her husband; mother; father; step-father William August Hein; half sister Annette Emily Hein Rasmussen; daughters-in- law Tracey Lee Larson Peterson and Jean Marie Skelton Peterson; and her great-granddaughter Scarlett Peterson.
She is survived by her step-sister Clarissa Hein Sutton of North Olmsted, Ohio; step-brother Arnold (Norma) Hein of Charlotte, N.C.; sister-in-law Luanne Peterson of Harmony, Minn.; and brother-in-law Willard Peterson of Iowa Falls, Iowa; her children Anne (Gerald) Worner of Fergus Falls, Minn.; Lee Peterson (Bridget Harrington) of Burnsville, Minn., Joan (Albert) Robles of Prescott, Ariz., Loren Peterson (Cheryl Largent Hanks) of Prescott Valley, Ariz., Bonnie (Phil) Raney of Ash Fork, Ariz., Sharla Peterson (Robert McBurnie) of Prescott, Ariz., and Carrin (Alan) Jacoby of Iberia, Mo.; her grandchildren Beth, Lisa, Michele, Paul, Scott, Adam, Christina, Jennifer, Danelle, Eddie, Tony, Luke, Tiffany, Willy, Tim, Jesi, Lorelei and Nicole; and her 40 great-grandchildren. She also had many nieces and nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews and great-great nieces and nephews. Then there are the many friends that will miss her every day at morning coffee.
She will be laid to rest at the State Line Cemetery near Harmony, Minn., next to LaVerne Peterson this summer.
Memorials can be made to Jean Marie Peterson Scholarship Fund at https://www.cfneia.org/giving/give-today, the State Line Cemetery in Harmony, Minn., or Genesis Christian Church of Prescott, Ariz.
Funeral arrangements were entrusted to Heritage Memory Mortuary. Please visit www.heritagemortuary.com to sign Ruth’s online guestbook.
