Dorthea Ellen Davis Petersen was born on a farm one mile south of Walnut on Sept. 7, 1927. She passed away peacefully at Immanuel's Lakeside Village at The Lighthouse in Omaha, Neb. on June 16, 2023.

Her parents were Harley and Ida Maassen Davis. Dorthea was baptized as a youth at the German Evangelical Lutheran Church. She attended Layton #5 country school through the eighth grade and attended Walnut High School, graduating May, 1945. She entered Immanuel Hospital School of Nursing in the United States Cadet Nursing Corps in Omaha in August 1945. She graduated and was licensed as a Registered Nurse in August 1948.

Dorthea and Albert Dale Petersen were married in Vermillion, South Dakota on Dec. 6, 1947. They moved to Exira, for a short time, until they started farming southeast of Walnut in 1950. She helped on the farm, working side by side with Dale, doing chores and helping with the field work. They farmed several different farms in Walnut area and were blessed with three children - Debra, Patricia and Brian.

In 1962, Dorthea completed a nurse refresher course and worked as a RN at Myrtue Memorial Hospital in Harlan. She then was employed at the Harlan Physicians Clinic, for 10 years. Later she was employed by The Atlantic Medical Center as office nurse for Dr. Thomas Payne MD. She retired in February 1994.

Dorthea enjoyed doing handwork, sewing most of the family clothing, knitting, crocheting, quilting gardening, cooking, and spending time with her family. Dorthea and Dale were active supporters and volunteers in the Walnut community. They supported their children in attending school events and extracurricular activities. Dale and Dorthea moved to Atlantic when Dale retired in 1985.

Dorthea was a life time member of Peace United Church of Christ. She was an active member of the AMVETS Auxiliary Post 45, American Cancer Society for the Cass Unit, Cass County Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, Christian Women's Club, and the Red Hat Society.

Dorthea moved to Immanuel Lakeside Village in Omaha, Neb. in 2011. She became an active resident of the Lakeside Community. She was a Charter Member of the Chime Choir and served as the 'Grand Mum' of the Red Hat Society.

Dorthea is preceded in death by her husband, Dale, June 1998; her parents, Harley and Ida Davis; brothers Eugene Davis, wife Beulah; Earl Davis, wife Arlene; sisters Elva Willis, husband Kenneth; Shirley Nielsen, husband Delmar; step granddaughter, Mary Robertson; and son-in-law Kenneth Welk.

She is survived by her children Debra Welk, Omaha, Neb.; Patricia Robertson, husband David, Victor, Idaho; Brian Petersen, wife Deborah, Council Bluffs. Grandchildren Alexander Welk, wife Tracy and great-granddaughters Anastassia and Arabella, Chicago, Ill., step great-grandson Dylan Setzer; Gregory Welk, wife Lynette, and great- grandchildren Millie, Jacob and Lucile, Boulder, Colo.; Christian Andersen, wife Tess, and great-granddaughter Maya, Boulder, Colo.; Elyse Guttmann, husband Shaun, and step great- granddaughters Brianna and Emma, St. Louis, Mo.; step granddaughter, Hallie Brausch, husband Jon, and step great-grandsons Declan and Graham, Roseville, Calif. She is survived by many nieces, nephews, and friends.

An 11 a.m. funeral service was held on Tuesday, June 20 at Peace United Church of Christ in Walnut, with Pastor Doug Roberts officiating. Christian Andersen, Paul Harvey, Kyle Eichhorn, Daniel Nielsen, Elyse Guttmann, Alexander Welk, Shaun Guttmann and Gregory Welk served as pallbearers. Interment was held at Layton Township Cemetery in Walnut, Iowa.

Pauley Jones Funeral Home assisted the family with arrangements.

Published by Atlantic News Telegraph on Jun. 21, 2023.