Obituary source St. John's United Church of Christ scrapbook
Newspaper and date of obituary publication not known
GERTRUDE ELIZABETH "GERT" PETERSON
Ontario - Gertrude Elizabeth "Gert" Peterson, 87, Ontario, a former resident of the Oregon Slope community, died Thursday, Nov. 23, 1989 in a Boise hospital from injuries received in a Wednesday automobile accident near Ontario. Services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday at Shaffer-Jensen Memory Chapel, Payette. Dr. Leonard Reifel, Weiser, and the Rev. Dean Grafft of St. John's United Church of Christ, Payette, will officiate. Burial will follow at the Rosedale Memorial Gardens, Payette. Arrangements are under the direction of Shaffer-Jensen Memory Chapel, Payette.
She was born Feb. 28, 1902, at Bristol, S.D., a daughter of Helena and Torgus Strandness. She was raised in Bristol and graduated from Bristol High School in 1920. She married Selmer Peterson on Aug. 20, 1920 at Sioux Falls, S.D. They resided in Sioux Falls until 1930 when they moved with their three boys to a cattle ranch at Sand Hollow north of Payette, owned by Gert's father. Their daughter was born while living there. They purchased and moved to a farm on the Oregon Slope in 1937. They farmed together until retirement in 1960. She moved to Ontario's Meadowbrook Retirement Center in December 1988 after living in the same home for nearly 52 years.
She was a past member and past president of the World War I Ladies Auxiliary, Payette; member of Solana Club; Hyline Auxiliary; Hyline Community Club, past member of the Treasure Valley Crankers and Women's Guild. She was a member of the St. John's United Church of Christ, Payette.
Gert and Selmer enjoyed travel in their camper, she loved to crochet and play pinochle. She loved her family, grand children and great-grandchildren and all the small children of the neighborhood called her "Grandma Gertie". She was always on the go, enjoyed her friends and never knew a stranger. When she was younger, Gert loved to Waltz. She and her husband won several waltzing contests, the last one at the National Oldtime Fiddler's contest in Weiser in 1966. The highlight of her later years was going to Senior Citizens.
She is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, Bob and Imogene Peterson of the Hyline community near Ontario; a daughter and son-in-law, Ruth and Alvin Griffin; six grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. Her parents, six brothers, three sisters, two sons, Duane and Eugene; her husband Selmer; and two grandchildren, died earlier.
Memorials may be made in to the Payette Senior Citizens, in care of Shaffer-Jensen Memory Chapel, P.O. Box 730, Payette, Idaho 83661. Friends may call from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. today at the chapel in Payette.
SET FREE
When I am gone
Don't mourn for me,
When the Master calls
He sets you free.
Remember all the
Laughs we shared,
And in time of grief
Someone cared.
We will meet again
In that happy land,
And walk with the angel's
Hand in hand.
So dry your tears,
Death must be,
And when the Master calls
He sets you free.
By Mrs. Andy (Helen) Anderson
Payette, Idaho
A longtime friend of Gertie.
