Doris E. Peterson

Mom was born on a farm in rural Portsmouth, Iowa. She was the oldest daughter of Dallas and Cecilia Voge. Six sisters and three brothers, 200 fingers and toes, they lived happily and humbly. Mom loved to work with her father as a farm hand doing whatever needed to be done. There were the usual ordinary chores like driving the tractor (or team of horses) while grandpa tried to throw bales of hay onto the hay rack. On one occasion, mom dozed off at the wheel of the tractor only to awaken to a “hey Doris”, and a tug of the wheel. Mom admitted many years later that she never made that same mistake again. Mom always felt that it was a privilege to grow up Voge.
After high school and working a few years in various secretarial positions, mom met our dad after his three-year military tour of duty in Korea. After a period of dating, mom and dad were married on June 26, 1954. To their union were born three children: David, Brian, and Karen. One thing we were sure of was their love for each of us. Mom and dad also enjoyed their three grandchildren: Joshua, Bethany, and Jason. They also enjoyed two great-grandchildren: Charles and Alexandra. Mom and dad were always willing to share with others of their grandkids’ most recent endeavors, bending their ears even to the point of near amputation. Being grandparents was for them a great and wonderful experience.
Mom will also be remembered for her wonderful cooking and baking. When she shared her “latest new recipe”, everyone got a taste of the bounty. Nowhere was mom more content than in her kitchen baking or cooking for others or sitting on her deck with a cup of coffee in the morning and Maddie, her dog, sitting on her lap while greeting neighbors as they passed by.
Although it is terribly hard to imagine the future without her, we know that mom is rejoicing with her Savior Jesus in Heaven. We can imagine that dad was waiting for her at Heaven’s Gate, greeting her with a hug and a kiss and anxious to show her all the wonders of Heaven. With them happily reunited we can only imagine that mom will still want dad to stay off the lawnmower and away from her plants and flowers, leaving those chores to Heaven’s lawn care and maintenance service.
Pastor Jeff Erlemeier officiated the 10:00 AM funeral service at Abundant Life Church in Harlan, Iowa, on Saturday, February 1, 2014. Serving as casket bearers were David Peterson, Brian Peterson, Lyle Jeltema, Mike Hansen, Jason Peterson, and Jim Voge. Interment was held in the Harlan Cemetery.


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