September 14, 2017 at 1:30 p.m.
Carol Peterson
Carol Peterson
At the age of 16, she began playing the organ at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lindstrom. She graduated from Lindstrom-Center City High School in 1957. After high school she went to work for Northwestern National Life in Minneapolis as a secretary (and continued to play the organ at Trinity). Carol and Merle were high school sweethearts, and were married on July 25, 1959. Shortly after, Merle was drafted into the Army, and they moved to Maryland for two years while he was stationed at Fort Ritchie. While in Maryland she worked in Hagerstown at Jamison Door Co. as the secretary to the president, and also played the organ at the Army base chapel.
After Merle’s discharge, they moved back home where Carol once again went to work as a secretary and resumed her post at the organ at Trinity. In 1965 they bought their house in Chisago City that Carol still owns today over 50 years later. Their son Todd was born December 25, 1966 and their daughter Julie was born March 23, 1969. When the children were born, Carol stopped working as a secretary and went to work in the Community Market doing the bookkeeping to spend more time with the kids. She continued to do the bookkeeping at Community Market for thirty years. She was a devoted wife and mother and proud Grandmother of three to Michael, Kelly, and Chloe. She loved spending time with her kids and grandkids, and was always cheering them on proudly in their sports and other activities. She also loved spending time with family and friends at their cabin on Big Sandy Lake in McGregor, MN. She was an avid game player and especially loved to play cards.
Anyone who knew them would say Carol and Merle’s love was one in a million, so when Merle passed away from cancer in 2006 it was heartbreaking, but Carol always held on to their love in her heart and the memories she had of their 47 wonderful years together. Her love of music and family helped get her through Merle’s death, and she often played the piano for hours using her love of music as a way to get through the tough times after his death. Carol passed away after a short but courageous fight with cancer on September 9, 2017 at the age of 77 with her family by her side. Her cancer diagnosis came August 1 and took her life just 5 short weeks later. Her family remembers her always being there giving her unconditional love; caring for others above herself and doing so much for family and friends. Carol was the one who always took the time to make sure there were flowers at the cemetery and that they were always watered, that family members who were sick or elderly were visited often, and was a person who definitely gave more to others than she ever received.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Merle; father and mother, Howard and Dorothy Nelson; brother, Peter Nelson; and brother-in-law, Richard Henley.
She will be dearly missed by her son, Todd and Pam Peterson; daughter, Julie and Todd Fliflet; grandchildren, Michael, Kelly, and Chloe; brother George and Teri Nelson; sisters, Marcia and Pat Smith and Kristine Henley, sister-in-law Debra Nelson, and many more relatives and friends. She will also be missed by the congregation of Trinity Lutheran Church where she served as their organist right up until her death for over 60 years. As organist, she not only played for church every Sunday, but also touched the lives of so many families in the community playing for countless weddings and funerals.
Funeral services were held Wednesday, September 13, 2017 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Lindstrom. Interment at Fairview Cemetery, Lindstrom.
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