Bessie Rose Peterson

Bessie Rose Peterson

Services for Bessie Rose Peterson, age 78, of Torrington, who died at her home on Wednesday, January 23, 1985, were held at the United Methodist Church on Friday, January 25 at 2 p.m. with Reverend Robert Sewel officiating. Burial was at the Valley View Cemetery. Memorial gifts may be directed to the Goshen County 4-H Foundation.

Bessie was born November 24, 1906 to Ed and Edna McKelvey in Cozad, Nebraska. They moved to a homestead west of Van Tassell, Wyoming. In the spring of 1912 later moving to a ranch southwest of Van Tassell in Goshen County where she grew to womanhood. She attended Van Tassell and other rural grade schools and graduated from Lusk High School in 1925. She then attended summer school at Chadron State Teachers College and the University of Wyoming. She taught rural schools in Niobrara and Goshen County and was teaching in Van Tassell when she married H. Mahlon Peterson on December 20, 1930. They lived on a ranch in the Prairie Center Community until they retired and moved to Torrington in 1972. She taught school for six years in the Prairie Center School System during World War II.

She joined the Congregational Church in Van Tassell when a young girl; then transferred to the Prairie Center Church. As a girl she was a 4-H member and was a State Garden Champion about 64 years ago. She was then a volunteer 4-H leader for eight years.

Bessie was a 53 year member of the Prairie Center Extension Club, serving as Southeast Regional Director of the Wyoming Homemaker Council and as president and secretary of the Goshen County Homemakers Council. She was named a Wyoming State Quealy winner in 1971.

She was one of the first members of the Help-One-Another Club in northern Goshen County. She was active in community affairs, Little League, Babe Ruth and Legion baseball-seldom missing a legion game for many years. She was an officer for Farm Bureau for several years, a member of the State and County Historical Society, a precinct committee woman for years and was very active in the Torrington Senior Citizens Center, helping make sunbonnets and helping in the office.

She is survived by her husband, H. Mahlon; son and wife, Mahlon N. and Donna of Torrington and daughter, Phylis Ann Hoy of Scottsbluff; six grandchildren, Eric Peterson of Pinedale, Clay Peterson of Torrington, Kathi Votruba of Hemingford, Nebr., Rosann Babi of O'Neill, Nebr., Rocky Hoy of Scottsbluff and Rodney Hoy serving in the Marines in Okinawa; three great-grandchildren, Alicia, Lindsey and Ryan Hoy of Scottsbluff; one sister, Pat Carson of Hiland, two brothers, Ralph of Torrington and Mike of Mesa, Arizona. She was preceded in death by her parents, two brothers and a baby daughter.

Pallbearers were Billy DesEnfants, Wayne Hahn, Alvin Haase, Ronald Podolak, LeRoy Grapes and Herb Tadewald.

Honorary pallbearers were Bill DesEnfants, Otto York, Keith Newman, Albert Fisher, Andy McMaster, Ed Redifer, Bill Coffee, Nyal Siemson, Charles Canfield, Frank Podolak, Walt Berry and George Foote.

Music was by Bob and Lewis Waggoner with Bonnie Rice as organist.

Colyer Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

The Lusk Herald
January 24, 1985
FUNERAL NOTICE

Services will be held for Mrs. Mahlon (Bessie) Peterson, who died Wednesday, Jan. 23, at the United Methodist Church in Torrington at 2 p.m. Friday, Jan. 25. Mrs. Peterson was a long time resident of the Prairie Center community.

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