Ednah Peterson

Ednah Elizabeth Peterson Nana, a true family matriarch, passed from this world Thursday, November 18, 2009. She remained healthy, strong, and vibrant until a week before her death at 104 years of age. A Celebration of Life service will be held at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, Nov 25, 2009, at the Chapel at Marillac Manor where she had been in independent living since 1992. Visitation will be held from 5:00 to 8:00PM on Tuesday, November 24, at the Eastgate Funeral Home in Bismarck with family remembrances starting at 7:00 PM. Ednah E. Douglass was born on March 21, 1905, at Glenwood, MN, to Sumner and Elizabeth Furtney Douglass. Because of her father's positions with Gamble-Robinson Produce Company as a produce buyer and the Soo Line Railroad as a mail and baggage clerk, her family lived in many places as Ednah was growing up: Minneapolis, MN, Glenwood, MN, Bismarck, ND, Hankinson, ND, and Enderlin, ND, where she graduated from high school in 1922 at age 17 because she skipped the eighth grade. Planning on an elementary education degree, she then attended the State Teachers' College at Valley City, ND. Marriage to J. Roy Peterson on June 4, 1924 in Enderlin ended that vocation since women school teachers weren't allowed to be married in the 1920's. At the very start of their courtship, Ednah, who had been at work selling movie theater tickets, was escorted home by J. Roy. Since it was icy and cold, J. Roy reached over to grasp Ednah's elbow, but both slipped on treacherous ice and ended up in a pile. Years later when speaking of their romance, they both used the phrase, “We fell for each other.” Until their retirement in 1963, they owned and operated the J. Roy Peterson Funeral Home in Enderlin, ND, the first funeral home in Ransom County. Ednah was active in St. Andrew's Episcopal Church while in Enderlin and was a 50 year member of Eastern Star of Harmony Chapter #42 serving as Worthy Matron from 1938-1939. Upon retirement, Ednah and J. Roy lived in Fridley, MN, and Apache Junction, AZ. In addition to her enjoyment of travel to almost all of the 50 states, Ednah's delight in working crossword puzzles and in reading books was well known by the librarians whom she kept very busy. As her eyesight faded, she remained in touch with her favorite hobby by listening to books on tape. Ednah and J. Roy summered in Bismarck for many years to be close to their granddaughter, Geraldine E. Jody Foy and her family. After 68 years of marriage, J.Roy's death in 1992 prompted her move to Bismarck. This spirited and gracious lady will be deeply missed and fondly remembered by all who knew and loved her including son, Robert Douglass Lola of Fargo, ND, and Grand Junction, CO, and daughter Dorothy Louise John Kunz of Bellevue, WA; niece, Elizabeth Rick Nagano, Morro Bay, CA; six grandchildren, Scott Juanita Peterson, Grand Junction, CO, Barbara Dave Wilker, Owatonna, MN, John Sheri Peterson, Ramsey, MN, Jody Charles Foy, Bismarck ND, Cindy Bob Briggs, Urbana, IA, and Anita Alan Fossum, Bellevue WA; her surviving nine great-grandchildren; and five great-great-grandchildren. She was also preceded in death by her brother, Orville 1977; sister-in-law, Edna 1995 Douglass; her great-grandson, Martin John Foy 1996; her son, Charles Roy Peterson 2007; and her daughters-in-law, Jeanette 2005 and Lucille 2008. A commendation service will also be held in Alexandria, MN, where she will be laid to rest at the Sunset Memorial Mausoleum of the Alexandria Kinkead Cemetery.

Ednah Peterson

March 21, 1905 - November 19, 2009