Elaine V. Petersen, age 81, of Valders, passed away Thursday evening, May 9, 2019 at Manitowoc Health & Rehabilitation Center surrounded by her loving family.
Elaine was born on January 23, 1938 in the Town of Newton, daughter of the late Arlet A. and Evelyn M. (Busse) Ott. She attended local area schools and graduated with the class of 1956 from Manitowoc Lincoln High School. On April 8, 1961 Elaine married Wayne M. Petersen at St. John’s Ev. Lutheran Church in Newtonburg. She worked for the Manitowoc Board of Education as an Administrative Assistant and as a secretary for Dr. Naidl’s Chiropractic office. Elaine was a member of Trinity Ev. Lutheran Church, Town of Liberty, Trinity’s Ladies Aid and Trinity’s Altar Guild. She enjoyed spending time with her family and was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, singing to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and tending her flowers in her backyard garden.
She is survived by her husband of 58 years: Wayne Petersen, Valders; her four sons and three daughters-in-law, ten grandchildren and fifteen great-grandchildren: Lee (Diane) Petersen, Coushatta, LA and their children: Lee Wayne (Michelle) Petersen and their children: Kaitlynn, Andrew, Paige and Sarah Elaine Petersen; Alicia (Ralph) Bierden and their children: Landen, Peyton, Hallie and Ellie(twin-sisters) Bierden; Dean (Pam) Petersen, Manitowoc and their children: Matthew (Amy) Petersen and their children: Austin and Emma Petersen; David (Clair) Petersen and their children: Jillian, Amelia and Owen Petersen; Joshua Petersen and his fiancé Samantha Braun; Rachel Petersen and her child: Micah Petersen; Keith Petersen, Valders; Todd (Lisa) Petersen, Valders and their children: Timothy Petersen and his fiancé Annabell Holdorf; Trisha Ann Elaine Petersen and her special friend Caleb Peterson; Tyler Petersen and his special friend Ashley Zielinski and their child Carter Petersen; Lauren Petersen and her special friend Marco Morales; one sister; Carolann E. Ott , Manitowoc; two sisters-in-law: Romelle Rusch, Valders; Grace Ott, Valders, many nieces and nephews, other relatives and friends also survive. She was preceded in death by her parents: Arlet and Evelyn Ott; two grandsons: Andrew Petersen; Adam Petersen; one brother: James W. Ott; two sisters and two brothers-in-law: Marlene Ott; Yvonne (Kenneth) Netzer; Raymond Rusch.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, May 14, 2019 at The Trinity Ev. Lutheran Church, 11303 Wehausen Road, Manitowoc. The Rev. Gregory Pope will officiate with burial to follow in the church cemetery. Relatives and friends may call at the church on Monday from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. and again at the church on Tuesday from 9:00 a.m. until the time of service at 11:00 a.m. Memorial donations may be made in Elaine’s name to Trinity Ev. Lutheran Church or Manitowoc Lutheran High School. The Christianson & Deja Funeral Home of Valders is assisting the family with funeral arrangements. Online condolences may be expressed at www.christiansondejafuneralhome.com
The family would like to thank Dr. Lynn Baatz, Holy Family Memorial Medical Center staff, Holy Family Memorial Cancer Care Center staff, Manitowoc Health & Rehabilitation Center staff, The Warden, and all of Elaine’s friends and relatives who visited her and shared kind words with Elaine and her family during her illness.
