LaVaun "Bonnie" Marie Peterson, 93, of Northville, S.D., died Saturday, Jan. 19, 2013, at her home. Her funeral will be Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013, at 10:30 a.m. at the Northwestern United Methodist Church in Mellette. The Rev. Jon Damaska will officiate. Burial will be in the Northville Cemetery. Visitation will be Wednesday from 1 to 7 p.m. at Thelen Funeral Home in Redfield.
Bonnie was born Aug. 14, 1919, in Mansfield, S.D., to Victor and Lena (Nierman) Smith. She grew up in the Northville area and graduated from Northville High School. Bonnie married her high school sweetheart, Hubert Peterson, in 1938 and they lived on the Peterson family farm. They farmed, raised livestock and milked cows for many years. Bonnie enjoyed raising chickens and the many pheasant hunters they hosted on their farm. She was known by "Granny" to most of the Northville area residents. She ran a restaurant in Northville called "Granny's" for many years and ran the Aberdeen sale barn café for many years, also. Hubert and Bonnie retired from the farm and moved into Northville.
Bonnie was a member of the United Methodist Church and United Methodist Women and Order of Eastern Star. She was the oldest living resident of Northville and the oldest member of the Northwestern United Methodist Church.
Granny enjoyed baking and attending all sporting events of her children and grandchildren. She was an avid baseball fan and followed Hubert, Kendall and Kim as they played. She enjoyed watching her grandchildren play baseball and got to throw out the first pitch at the Northville Field as Northville played Redfield and two of her grandsons were the opposing pitchers.
Bonnie is survived by her three children: Connie (Al) Stover of Redfield, Kendall (Linda) Peterson of Northville, and Kim Peterson of Northville; nine grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren. She is also survived by two sisters: Victoria Perry of Aberdeen and Audrey Boschee of Mellette.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Hubert, in 1993; her grandson, Phillip, in 1993; three sisters; and one brother.
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