Vera Peterson

Peterson, Vera

Vera Peterson, age 91 of Tyndall, SD passed away on Wednesday, June 12, 2019, at Good Samaritan Society in Tyndall.

Vera was born on November 8, 1927, to William and Sarah ( Woolhiser) Baker in Pierre South Dakota. After schooling she married Richard Peterson from Wakonda, SD on November 19, 1950.  They married in Pierre SD.  They moved to Meckling, SD for a short time before moving to Lesterville, SD and began their farm with cattle, pigs, gardening, and farming. She was no stranger to hard work as she helped on every level with farming and canning, and other farm duties while still maintaining her family. They were blessed with three children:  two sons, Lloyd and Melvin and a daughter, LaVona.  Over the years the blessings continued, and the family grew.

Amongst being a wife, mother and grandmother, she was a wonderful cook, always making plenty to feed an army. If you sat at grandma’s table, you were eating!  Some of her signature and our favorites, were fried chicken, mashed potatoes, coleslaw and macaroni salad.  No matter how anyone tried to make it themselves, it never tasted the same as hers.  Here and there the meat would get a little dark, but you just ate it anyway!  We all know Lloyd loved the peas!  We never knew which container was butter or leftovers!  She loved her kids and grandchildren more than anything and we will miss her angelic smile radiating the room!  For those of you who saw her angry, you just knew to keep quiet!  In her final years she was cared for by the Tyndall GSS Nursing Home where she made many friends and memories.  She will be forever in our hearts and memories.

Vera is survived by one sister, Vivan Black of Portland Oregon; two sons, Lloyd Peterson of Yankton, SD, Melvin (Cathy) Peterson of Lesterville, SD and one daughter, LaVona Merkwan of Tyndall, SD; grandchildren:  Sarah, Anna and Richard Peterson, Julie and George Peterson, Michael and Jennifer Merkwan and great-grandchildren:  Aubrie, Ashlee, Ella , Laikyn, and Braylee.

She was proceeded in death by her husband, Richard Peterson; her parents, William and Sarah Baker; two sisters, Gurtrude and Wilma; daughter- in- law, Cindy Peterson and son-in law, Steve Merkwan.