Donna Peterson, 99, of Valley City and formerly of Litchville, passed away peacefully on
December 4, 2025, at CHI Mercy Hospital surrounded by her family. Donna was born on the family farm in Svea Township on February 24, 1926. She was the eighth of nine children in an Irish Catholic family, the daughter of Richard (Ed) and Martha (Sweeney) Blake. She attended a consolidated school, sometimes riding in a horse and buggy, and she later taught in one-room schoolhouses in rural Fingal.
Donna met Morris Peterson before he went to Japan during WWII, and they married upon his return in 1949. She loved dancing in Marion, particularly the waltz and two-step and she loved their trip to Hawaii. They had three children Barbara, Patricia, and Gregory
and farmed the original Peterson land near Litchville. Morris died suddenly in 1978, and
Greg took on the farm with Donna. There were many years of fun on the farm with the
grandkids, particularly when Donna’s seven sisters came to visit – times of love and
laughter. Donna filled her life with bus trips with friends, get togethers at Sandy’s, and all the games: Christian’s baseball, Anna’s volleyball, Travis’ wrestling, and Molly’s basketball. Donna moved to a cute little house in Litchville in 1994 where she enjoyed mowing the lawn well into her 80’s. She later moved to Landmark II in Valley City, where she was the designated coffee maker for the ladies’ weekly social hour. We joke that her seven great-grandsons shaved ten years off of Grandma Donna’s life starting in 2012 – and they in turn, absolutely adored her. She attended concerts, games and the staple Saturday morning donuts and laughter-filled games of Uno with Travis’ family, time we
all were lucky enough to know was precious as it was happening. A big 98th birthday celebration when her health was still fantastic, brought old and new friends together before Donna’s brief move to Bridgeview and then St. Raphael in Valley City.
Entertaining visitors with sweets and coffee was Grandma Donna’s happiness. She always, even into last week, made sure to have treats at the ready for anyone who stopped by. This, and her supreme, genuine kindness is what we will remember her for.
Donna is survived by her daughter Pat (Doug Franzen) Peterson, Bloomington, MN; and her family Christian (Arin) Franzen, Minneapolis, MN; and Anna (Kevin) Kirlin, Bloomington, MN. Son Greg (Marilyn) Peterson, Dilworth, MN; and his family Travis (Kaleen) Peterson, Valley City; and Molly Peterson, St. Paul, MN. Her seven great grandsons were the light of her life: Oliver and Charlie Kirlin, Bloomington, MN; Callum Franzen, Minneapolis, MN; and Sullivan, Sawyer, Turner and Penn Peterson, all of Valley City.
She was preceded in death by her husband Morris; daughter Barbara; parents Edward and Martha; brothers James and an infant; and sisters Margaret, Agnes, Mae, Veronica, Beatrice, Sister Paula, and Sister Gemma.
Visitation is Friday, December 12, 2025, from 5-7pm at Lerud-Mathias Funeral Home. Services are Saturday, December 13, 2025, at 1pm in the SMP Health St. Raphael Chapel, Valley City. Burial will be in North LaMoure Cemetery, Litchville, N.D. The service will be live streamed, then archived, on a link provided along with her obituary on her tribute page at www.lerudmathias.com. An online guestbook is available there as well.