Lorraine Peterson

July 20, 2012

Lorraine J. (Mrs. Seymour) Peterson, 88, of Dassel, died peacefully Friday, July 20, 2012, at the Augustana Lakeside Health Care Center of Dassel. A memorial service to celebrate her life will be held on Sunday, August 5th, 2012, at 2:30 p.m. at Gethsemane Lutheran Church in Dassel with the Rev. John Peterson officiating. The interment of the urn will be at the Dassel Community Cemetery following the service. There will be a time to gather with family one hour prior to the 2:30 p.m. service on Sunday, August 5, 2012, at the Church. A reception at the church will follow a very brief graveside service with the family. Memorial Arrangements by Johnson Funeral Home in Dassel. Lorraine Johanna Peterson, the daughter of Nels and Minnie (Larson) Martinson, was born on March 18, 1924, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She grew up and graduated from high school in Minneapolis. Upon graduation, Lorraine attended Northwestern School of Nursing (Abbott) graduating as a Registered Nurse. She worked for many years as the head nurse in the orthopedics department at Cook County Hospital in Chicago, Illinois. She had also worked for Onan, and other companies as their staff nurse. On October 26, 1951, Lorraine was united in marriage to Seymour Peterson at the St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Minneapolis. As newlyweds, they made their home in Dassel until 1975 when Seymour's work motivated a move to Minneapolis. In 2006 they moved back to Dassel following Seymour's retirement. The entire family, extended family, and friends celebrated their 60th anniversary in 2011. Lorraine loved music; she loved to listen to the Polka hour on KDUZ radio. As an active member of her church in Minneapolis, she found great joy in organizing weddings, anniversaries, and other special celebrations. While raising her own children, she was an active Scout leader for many years. Lorraine lived her faith, and cared for everyone. While the world will have less love and joy due to her passing, the love and joy she shared continues in the lives she touched while with us. Lorraine's bright and shining personality would lighten the room when she entered. She enjoyed knitting and sewing, especially children's clothing. She helped to provide knitted burial items for stillborn children for Children's Hospital in Minneapolis. For years, Lorraine ran her own clothing company named "AMBI Fashions" (after a nickname given to Lorraine by her daughters), which provided special clothing for women confined to a wheelchair. Over the years, Lorraine had sewn over 5000 of these special dresses and thousands of other specialized garments for the elderly. She also enjoyed making dolls and puppets. Lorraine cared for her mother and actively volunteered at the Dassel Lakeside Home, where she and her faithful puppet "Mrs. Honk" put on puppet shows to brighten the residents' days. She will be deeply missed by her family and friends. She is survived by her husband, Seymour of Dassel, children, Jan (Ross) Flynn of Detroit, Michigan, Joan (Kurt) Frantzen of Colchester, Connecticut, Ford (Barb) Peterson of Dassel, Wade Peterson of Minneapolis, six grandchildren, Justin Flynn, Ginger Payton, Jonathan Flynn, Nels Frantzen, Garth Frantzen, and Renee Krueger, five great-grandchildren, Haley Flynn, Hannah Flynn, Austin Payton, Gabriel Payton, and Daniel Payton, who was born the very same day Lorraine passed, and one brother, Lowell ("Buster") Martinson of Walker, MN, and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. Lorraine was preceded in death by her parents, and two brothers, Russell and Raymond.