Martha G. Petersen
February 22, 1917 — March 29, 2011
Martha Georgia Arp Myers Petersen was born on February 22, 1917 to Ferdinand and Katharine (Schultz) Arp on a farm three miles east of Tennant, Iowa. Her parents chose her name in honor of President George Washington on whose birth date she was born. When she was one year old, she caught the flu in the 1918 epidemic. She almost died and had to learn to walk all over again.
Martha graduated from Tennant High School with the Class of 1935. She stayed on the family farm to care for her father and brothers.
On June 2, 1938, she married Robert Myers in Papillion, Nebraska. After marriage, Robert and Martha farmed near Corley, Iowa. They had two children: Robert and Darla. After twenty years of marriage, Robert died in 1958.
Martha married Raymond Petersen on February 12, 1960 in Jacksonville, Iowa. They farmed there and continued to live there together for forty-two years. Raymond died in September 2002. Martha lived on at the farm until she had to retire to the Avoca nursing home in January of 2010.
Martha loved living on the farm and she loved Iowa. She wasn�t a fan of traveling and couldn�t understand how anyone would want to go anywhere else. She loved animals and watching birds and having chickens around. She enjoyed growing flowers, going dancing, and cooking great meals, but most of all, she loved her family.
A passion for painting was something she had from childhood on. She started with watercolors and then moved on to oils. Many family members have her paintings in their homes.
Martha died peacefully on Tuesday, March 29, 2011 at the Avoca Nursing Home having attained the age of ninety-four years, one month, and seven days. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husbands Robert and Raymond, her brothers Grant, Walter, and Edwin, and her sister Lillian.
She is survived by her son Bob Myers and his wife Bonnie of Shelby, Iowa; daughter Darla and her husband Homer Buell of Bassett, Nebraska; seven grandchildren; four step-grandchildren; twenty-two great-grandchildren; five step-great-grandchildren; and five great-great-grandchildren; other family members and friends.
Pastor Ron Rasmussen officiated the 10:30 AM Funeral Service on Saturday, April 2, 2011 at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Jacksonville, Iowa. Serving as casket bearers were Anthony Attansio, Charles Myers, Shane Brockhoff, Chad Korth, Steven Myers, and Chad Buell. Interment was held at the Graceland Cemetery in Avoca, Iowa.
PDF Printable Version
Martha graduated from Tennant High School with the Class of 1935. She stayed on the family farm to care for her father and brothers.
On June 2, 1938, she married Robert Myers in Papillion, Nebraska. After marriage, Robert and Martha farmed near Corley, Iowa. They had two children: Robert and Darla. After twenty years of marriage, Robert died in 1958.
Martha married Raymond Petersen on February 12, 1960 in Jacksonville, Iowa. They farmed there and continued to live there together for forty-two years. Raymond died in September 2002. Martha lived on at the farm until she had to retire to the Avoca nursing home in January of 2010.
Martha loved living on the farm and she loved Iowa. She wasn�t a fan of traveling and couldn�t understand how anyone would want to go anywhere else. She loved animals and watching birds and having chickens around. She enjoyed growing flowers, going dancing, and cooking great meals, but most of all, she loved her family.
A passion for painting was something she had from childhood on. She started with watercolors and then moved on to oils. Many family members have her paintings in their homes.
Martha died peacefully on Tuesday, March 29, 2011 at the Avoca Nursing Home having attained the age of ninety-four years, one month, and seven days. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husbands Robert and Raymond, her brothers Grant, Walter, and Edwin, and her sister Lillian.
She is survived by her son Bob Myers and his wife Bonnie of Shelby, Iowa; daughter Darla and her husband Homer Buell of Bassett, Nebraska; seven grandchildren; four step-grandchildren; twenty-two great-grandchildren; five step-great-grandchildren; and five great-great-grandchildren; other family members and friends.
Pastor Ron Rasmussen officiated the 10:30 AM Funeral Service on Saturday, April 2, 2011 at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Jacksonville, Iowa. Serving as casket bearers were Anthony Attansio, Charles Myers, Shane Brockhoff, Chad Korth, Steven Myers, and Chad Buell. Interment was held at the Graceland Cemetery in Avoca, Iowa.
PDF Printable Version
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Martha G. Petersen, please visit our flower store.