Doris Mae (Breyfogle) Petersen

Doris M. Petersen, age 90, passed away peacefully on June 3, 2024, surrounded by family, at The Good Samaritan Society in Holstein.  She had previously resided at The Ridge and Holstein Senior Living. A funeral service will be held on Saturday, July 6, 2024 at 10:00 AM at the St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church of Holstein. Burial will be at the Holstein Cemetery of Holstein with lunch following at the church.

Doris was born October 18, 1933, the fourth of thirteen children, to Harold and Ethel (Tolzin) Breyfogle.  The family’s last home was the big white house on N Main Street.  They didn’t have a lot in the way of material wealth and there were certainly struggles.  But there was also a lot of love. The oldest children were in charge of getting the youngest off to school and assuring laundry, housecleaning and chores were done.  Doris often told how she was assigned to share a bed with 3 of the younger boys, who weren’t always the best bedmates.  Sometimes mustard sandwiches were what was for lunch, and she told of making their own popcorn to fill grocery sacks to go to a movie every now and then—a big treat.

Doris gleaned from her youth that a little could be enough, and the importance of taking pride in what you have and working hard to accomplish what you want in life. But especially, she knew the value of family love and support. Memorial, Thanksgiving and Christmas Days were always spent with family at Grandma B’s house with grandkids running everywhere (there were 45 first cousins).  There was hardly room to move sometimes, but what fun!  The aunts made the best food and desserts, the uncles tickled and teased their nieces mercilessly, and cousins became best friends forever.

Doris graduated from Holstein High School in 1951 as valedictorian of her class.  She was editor of the 1951 Moo, sang in the school chorus and small groups, acted in the Senior Play, was voted Relays Queen, and was the leading scorer on Coach Russ Kraai’s 1951 State Girls’ Basketball team.

Doris was a brilliant student and loved learning above all else.  She determined that she wanted to become a schoolteacher.  Her father forbade her to leave to go to college so, of course, she did anyway.  She earned her way through a B.A. in Education from Wartburg College by working as a caretaker for the home and children of the local pharmacist.  She formed a lasting relationship with the family; they have remained in touch all these many years.

After graduating, her first elementary teaching assignment was in Cherokee, Iowa.  After a couple of years there, she and a co-teacher who was a dear friend decided they needed a little more adventure in life.  They took off for beautiful California without a job lined up or a sure idea of where they’d land, and were immediately hired in Torrence. Doris’ favorite student in her first class there was a cute and kind little girl named…Tracey.  Doris absolutely loved life in California.  She spent as much time as she could at the beach and enjoyed going out to have fun with the many friends she made there.

Doris said often that she would have stayed in sunny California, had it not been for one thing—a tall, handsome farmer who didn’t want to leave Iowa.  Doris and Tom Petersen were reintroduced by Tom’s friend, Harold Schubert, and Doris’ sister, Audrey, at a dance at the Cobblestone Inn in Storm Lake, IA.  The deal was sealed when they shared their first kiss at Harold and Audrey’s wedding dance some months later.  They were married at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Holstein on August 16, 1959, and spent the next 61 years together.  They were an example of love and devotion to their children, and especially to each other.

Tom and Doris bought the Petersen family farm in 1960 and raised three children there:  Tracey Linn, Keith Joe, and Susan Joanne.  They instilled in their children a strong work ethic, a love of learning, and the importance of family love and loyalty.  Doris’ pride and joy was her enormous garden and rhubarb bed, and Tracey, Keith and Susan all spent innumerable hours helping with planting, growing, harvesting and preserving the fruits of that labor.  There was always a song to be sung as they worked, and more than a little snitching of the sweet peas. Tending to livestock, walking beans, painting barns, hanging laundry out to dry, and mowing the huge lawn were assigned tasks, and also happy memories for the kids.  Doris tended lovingly to Tom’s mother, Augusta, for many years, buying her groceries each Saturday alongside Aunt Anna Petersen, and taking her to church each Sunday.  She set an example by her actions of the importance of caring for those we love until the end.

Doris felt it was important to be a mother first and foremost, so she stayed home with her family during the years that the children were in school, with the exception of a couple of years Holstein Elementary needed a first grade teacher.  She also, during that time, attended Morningside College to obtain her B.S. in Elementary Education.  When youngest daughter, Susan, graduated from High School, Doris returned to her passion and taught for many years in Battle Creek.  She substitute taught until she was 80, and after that, would comment often how much she missed teaching and the children.

Tom’s spare time activity of choice was fishing, and the family has many great memories of expeditions to Silver Lake, Storm Lake, and local farm ponds.  Doris was in charge of cleaning the fish; Tom never touched a one.  There were also family vacations--three kids without seatbelts in the backseat with the occasional, “Do I have to stop this car?” argument, but mainly with their Mom giving them information and then “quizzes” about everything they saw along the way.  Doris’ favorite activity was golfing.  She and sister-in-law, Cleo, played in a senior ladies’ golf league called the Keen-Agers.  She would joke that she always won a prize for being the oldest golfer there.  She walked miles each day, outside when she could, or at the Rec Center.  Even at Holstein Senior Living, residents called her “The Walkin’ Lady.”  Most importantly, over the years, Doris made sure to make the long trips as often as she and Tom were able to Kansas and Montana to see their grandchildren’s special activities and events.  They all meant the world to her.

Doris was a lifelong member of St. Paul Lutheran Church, where she taught Confirmation classes for many years. She instilled a strong faith and love of the Lord in her children.  Though dementia won out in the last 15 years of her life, she never lost her ability to laugh and love.  She will be remembered by all who knew her as a strong, intelligent woman who never sat still, and who put her husband’s and family’s needs and desires before her own in every instance.

Doris is survived by her children Tracey Petersen Atzeni (husband Steve), Keith Petersen, and Dr. Susan Petersen (husband Dr. Jon Bullman).  Doris was beloved by her grandchildren Zachary Atzeni (wife Danielle), Caitlin Atzeni, and Mikayla, Allie and Derick Bullman.  She is also survived by sister Carol Kolberg, brothers Jim (wife Karen) Breyfogle, Dean (wife Cleo) Breyfogle, Don (wife Jane) Breyfogle, Dennis (wife Kathy) Breyfogle, and sister-in-law JoAnn Breyfogle.  Doris was preceded in death by her husband, Thomas Petersen, her parents, Harold and Ethel Breyfogle, and sister Verla Thompson, brother-in-law George Thompson, sister Audrey Schubert, brother-in-law Harold Schubert, brother Jack Breyfogle, sister-in-law Kathleen Breyfogle, sister Bonnie Wirkus, brother-in-law Denton Wirkus, brother Jerry Breyfogle, brother Dale Breyfogle, sister-in-law Ellen Madsen, sister Margaret Freed, and brother-in-law Harold Petersen.

Her children thank the Lord that their beloved mom is whole and brilliant and happy again, reunited with the man she loved her entire life, and rejoicing in the room in His mansion God prepared for her in Heaven.

The family wishes to thank the staff members of Holstein Senior Living, The Good Samaritan Society, and Care Initiatives Hospice for the loving care given to our mom.  All of you are Jesus’ hands and feet among our elderly.  We also are so very grateful to our extended family members for their strong love and support during these last difficult years.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to St. Paul Lutheran Church.  Thank you to Pastor Bob Lewis for his years of service to St. Paul and to our family, and to all the members of St. Paul who have been a constant for our parents’ entire lives.