RINGSTED - Funeral services for Amelia Petersen, 96, of Ringsted will be held 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 8 at United Lutheran Church in Ringsted with Pastor Lauri Boysen officiating. Interment will be at St. Paul's Lutheran Cemetery. She died Sunday, Sept. 5 at Avera Holy Family Health in Estherville.
Visitation will be from 4:30-8 p.m., today at the church.
Amelia Annette (Madsen) Petersen, the daughter of Herman and Ingeborg (Thomsen) Madsen, was born at home May 18, 1914, near Ringsted.
Amelia was raised and educated in Denmark Township in Emmet County. After graduation from Ringsted High School in 1933 and until 1940, she worked in Des Moines as a maid and nanny for the Fitch family.
Amelia was married to Clarence Petersen in 1940, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Ringsted. They moved to a farm near Seneca, where they farmed with Clarence's father and started their family. In 1949, they moved to Ringsted where she raised their family of five boys and one girl. She cleaned for the bank, Dr. Office and other buildings in Ringsted and later she was employed by the Ringsted Dispatch for 15 years as its social editor. Amelia loved her garden and flowers, she always had her windows full of blooming plants. She made many beautiful quilts for all her children, grandchildren, great-grand children, church and friends. She enjoyed writing letters to friends and family and for 35 years sent special occasion cards to church members. She always remembered her grandchildren and great grandchildren with birthday cards and little gifts of money.
Amelia was very active in the community and her church. She was a Sunday school teacher, cub scout den mother and girl scout leader, charter member of Happy Moments 4-H club, a life time member of St. Paul's, now United Lutheran church, belonged to the Emmet County Historical Society, was a member for 30-plus years of the American Legion Auxiliary, spent 20 years volunteering with the RSVP program, was recognized by Governor Branstad for her participation in Dinner Date and BABES, was an Emmet County genealogy member, an Ambassador to both Governor Vilsack and Culver and a life long member of the Women's organization at church. One of her highlights in life was the trip she made with Clarence to Denmark and Italy in 1975.
Left to cherish Amelia's memory are her children, Richard (Carolyn) Petersen of Sioux Falls, S.D.; Wayne (Mary) Petersen of Coolidge, Ariz.; Robert (Gayle) Petersen of Ringsted; Jerald (Lynn) Petersen, Ringsted; Glen (Kathy) Petersen of Huxley; Esther (Leonard) Tripp of Lu Verne; 15 grandchildren; Bryan, Brenda, Mike, Michelle, Raedayle, Mark, John, Theresa, Dana, Melissa, Andy, Richard, Sarah, Patrick and Jennifer; 33 great-grand children; sister, Gena (Madsen) Rasmussen of Lohrville; brother, Milton (Phyllis) Madsen of Spirit Lake; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
She has been preceded in death by her parents; husband, sisters, Mildred Paulsen Christensen, Evelyn Kochheiser and Clara Caswell.
Online condolences may be made at www.henryolsonfuneral.com.
