Obituaries : Evelyn Asta (Sorensen) Petersen

Evelyn Asta (Sorensen) Petersen, age 93, passed away on Sunday, August 1st, 2021, at the Keystone Nursing Care Center.

Memorial services will be held in September (date to be determined) at Blairstown Presbyterian Church in Blairstown. Private family graveside services will be held at Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Blairstown. A memorial fund has been established.

Evelyn was born on March 27, 1928 in Chicago, IL, the daughter of Axel and Ellen (Hansen) Sorensen. Evelyn graduated from Kelvyn Park High School in Chicago, and Grandview College and Coe College. She was united in marriage to Rubert "Bob" Petersen on March 24, 1949 in Chicago. The couple moved to Blairstown in 1957. Evelyn taught 1st and 2nd grade at Benton Community School until her retirement in 1990. She moved to Van Horne in 2005 to be closer to her children.

Evelyn loved all forms of creativity. She loved music and singing. She loved flowers and gardening. She sketched and painted, crocheted and knitted, upholstered and wallpapered, and passed many of these talents, passions and skills on to her family. Her crocheted snowflakes were coveted by all her children, grandchildren, and friends. Her frugality and ingenuity were legendary and were often the source of much teasing and laughter by her family. Frugality aside, she loved to go to Tama and gamble with her dear friends Joan, Charlene, and Sharon (Golden Girls Go Gambling). Evelyn was active in her church (Blairstown Presbyterian), Blairstown Legion Auxiliary and the Van Horne Floralia Guild. She was an election officer after her retirement which she continued well into her 80s.

Evelyn is survived by her children, Paul (Pat) Petersen of Durango, CO, Peggy (Derrick) Pickering of Van Horne, Nancy Petersen of Apple Valley MN, Ross (Christine) Petersen of Van Horne; 9 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren and her sister Karen Madigan of Santa Rosa, CA.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Rubert in 2000; and granddaughter Alyssa Petersen in 1992.

Online condolences: www.phillipsfuneralhomes.com