Lila Peterson

Lila Peterson, 96, Jamestown, North Dakota died Saturday, October 17, 2009 at Ave Maria Village in Jamestown.

Lila was born in the Sayre farmhouse at Urbana, North Dakota on August 25, 1913. She grew up on the farm that her grandfather homesteaded near Urbana. She walked, rode a horse or rode a one horse sleigh to the one room Urbana grade school from the farm.

She attended and graduated from Valley City College High School. She did housekeeping and child care for families she lived with while attending high school in Valley City. She worked at the Valley City Country Club after high school.

She met her husband John in Valley City and they were married in 1935. They lived in Valley City where John was working for Valley Radio.

Then John was hired by Montana Dakota Utilities and they moved to Wildrose, North Dakota. Then they moved to Cour d?Alene, Idaho where John did refrigeration work. World War II started and John could not get materials and supplies for his work so he went back to work for Montana Dakota Utilities in Scobey, Montana in 1942. Ross was born there in 1944.

Then they bought the country store at Urbana, North Dakota and moved there in 1949. Lila worked very hard operating the store for the 8 years they were there. Ross attended the same one room Urbana School that she had attended. The school teacher often lived with the Petersons at the store because it was right next to the school.

Then John was hired by Traiser Electric in 1957 as an electrician in Jamestown and they moved there. Lila worked in the Ben Franklin Store and later worked many years at Traiser Electric assembling and selling light fixtures. Lila liked to help people and she helped many people with her sewing skills.

After her husband John passed away, Lila moved to the Gardenette. She then moved to the Rock of Ages care home and then to the Ave Maria Village nursing home where she passed away at the age of 96.

Lila is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Ross and Julie Peterson and two grandchildren, Ted Peterson and Betsy Peterson, all of San Jose, CA.

She was preceded in death by her husband, John.

Funeral Service: 11:00 AM, Monday, October 26, 2009 at First United Methodist Church, Jamestown, with Pastor Michelle Brennan officiating.

Visitation: 2:00 to 5:00 PM, Friday, October 23, 2009 at the Eddy Funeral Home in Jamestown, ND.

Burial: Hillside Cemetery, Valley City, North Dakota