Mildred Petersen

Mildred B. Petersen, age 81 of Sauk Centre, died Monday, December 12, 2005 at the St. Cloud Hospital in St. Cloud, Minnesota.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, December 16 at Zion Lutheran Church in Sauk Centre. Revs. Steve Hayden and Don Kirsch will officiate. Graveside services and interment will be held at 1:30 p.m. Friday at Sunset Memorial Park in Minneapolis.

Friends may call from 4 to 9 p.m. Thursday at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Sauk Centre and from 9 to 10 a.m. Friday at the church. Sauk Centre Seniors will pray at 4 p.m. followed by United Auxiliaries at 7 p.m. Thursday evening at the funeral home.

Mildred Petersen was born December 24, 1923 in Getty Township, Stearns County, Minnesota to Charles and Mathilda (Quade) Ritter. She was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran faith. She was a graduate of Sauk Centre High School and Minneapolis Business College. She was employed by Western Union for 30 years as a secretary and payroll clerk. On April 7, 1962 she married Lester H. Petersen in Nashua, Iowa. The couple resided in the Twin Cities and then in Perham for ten years before moving to Sauk Centre in 1993. They spent winters in Arizona and summers in Oregon and Minnesota. Since 2001 she had resided at St. Benedict's Court assisted living in St. Cloud. She enjoyed flowers, playing cards and going out to eat.Mildred was a member of Zion Lutheran Church, Ladies Aid, served as secretary of the Women's Society and was a member of the Evangelism Board. She was also a member of Sauk Centre Seniors, served on the board of directors of the nutrition center, served as secretary for Aid Association for Lutherans and was a member of the Paul F. Donart VFW Post 2853 Auxiliary.

Survivors include sister, Rosina Willis of Bloomington; step-children, Kenneth (Donna) Peterson, Gerald (Kayleen) Petersen, Debra (Dale) Griffin, all of Gresham, Oregon, Daniel (Judy) Petersen of Portland, Oregon, John (Linda) Petersen of Boring, Oregon and Dennis (Joyce) Petersen of Emerald, Wisconsin; 24 step-grandchildren; numerous step-great grandchildren; nieces and nephews, Kenneth Langenberger of Osakis, Joann D'Agastino of Bozeman, Montana, Robert Langenberger of Moundsview, Paulette Ritter and Joe Ritter, both of Sauk Centre, Susan Bredeck of Albany and Kathleen Sander of Apple Valley.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Lester H. Petersen on September 12, 1995; sister, Alice Langenberger; brother, Glen Ritter; sister-in-law, Monica Ritter; brother-in-law, George Langenberger and step-son, Lester C. Petersen.

Serving as casket bearers will be Joseph Ritter, Susan Bredeck, Paulette Ritter, Kathleen Sander, Kenneth and Robert Langenberger. Honorary bearers will be members of the Ladies Aid.