Earlene Petersen

Earlene Petersen, 91, of DeWitt, Iowa, passed away Monday, January 5, 2026, at Fieldstone of DeWitt.

The family will receive relatives and friends at Elvira Zion Lutheran Church from 9:00 until 10:45 a.m. Thursday, January 8, 2026.  A Service of Christian Burial will follow at 11:00 a.m. in the church, the Rev. Terri Monnin officiating.  Burial will be at Clinton Lawn Cemetery.  Memorials may be made to the Elvira Zion Lutheran Church Parsonage, the DeWitt Historical Society, and the 4-H County Fair via the Clinton County Fair Board.

Earlene Ruth Petersen was born Clinton, Iowa, to Earl and Hattie Dohrmann Harring on December 5, 1934. She was baptized April 3, 1937, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Clinton. Earlene became a member of Elvira Zion Lutheran Church in 1941 and was confirmed in 1950. She went to a country school from 1940–1949 and as a freshman went to DeWitt High School, graduating in 1953. Earlene married August Petersen on June 2, 1957, at Elvira Church. They lived for 6 months in Goose Lake before moving to the Harring family farm in 1958. They farmed together for 40 years before moving to DeWitt to the house her parents built in 1955–56. They lived there for 18 years before August passed on Feb. 15, 2015.

Earlene was a 4-H leader for 15 years, on the Extension Council, Fair Board for 9 years, the Porkettes Organization, Ladies Circle at church for a number of years, and helped at the Central Community Historical Society. She was notoriously early and #1 Fan of all of her children’s, grandchildren’s, and great-grandchildren’s activities through the years. She enjoyed the Chicago Cubs, Iowa Hawkeyes, canning, gardening, studying her family genealogy, and scrapbooking. For many years, she belonged to a card club, and loved playing card games well into her advanced years.

Surviving are her children, Jana Bliss of Burnsville, Minnesota, Sharilyn (Monty) Pipkin of Granbury, Texas, Lance (Stacy) Petersen and Brent (Robin) Petersen of DeWitt, Brice Petersen of Apple Valley, Minnesota; grandchildren, Jessica (Brian) Burns, Kale (Jennifer) Petersen, Kaitlyn (Timothy) Nawa, Derek (Sarah) Bliss, Lyndi Johnson, Danielle Bliss, Dylan (Kalyn) Petersen, Dustin (Carrie) Bliss, Nicole (Cale) Muhlhausen and Tanner (Andrew) Mabry; great-grandchildren, Alexiya Lazaretti, Kyrie Petersen, Livea Petersen, Teegan Nawa, Laykin Mabry, Kiersten Nawa, Heston Mabry, Kami Petersen, Brekyn Mabry, Kamryn Petersen, Xavier Harvego, Abigail Bliss and Annalise Bliss; and bonus grandchildren, Trenton Karau, Trevor Karau, Teagan Karau, Tanner Karau, and Treyson Karau; a sister-in-law, Myrna Petersen; nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, August, her brother, Richard, brothers-in-law, Martin and Raymond Petersen, in-laws, August M. and Erna (Nissen) Petersen, and her parents.

The family extends their gratitude to the staff of Fieldstone for all of their care.

Arrangements are in the care of Schultz Funeral Home, DeWitt. Condolences may be expressed at www.schultzfuneralhomes.com

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