NORMA JEAN (BENNE) PETERSON was born to Herman and Evelyn (Ahrens) Benne on May 14, 1936 in West Point, Nebraska. She passed away on Wednesday, June 10, 2009 in Oakland, Nebraska.

Norma attended school in West Point until the family moved to Oakland in 1943. She graduated from Oakland High School in 1953. On September 25, 1955, she married Maurice Eugene Peterson at St. John’s Lutheran Church of rural Lyons, Nebraska. They had two daughters, Annette and Donna.

Norma was a homemaker, but also worked at the Oakland Gas Company, with Dr. A. J. Mullman, and as a bookkeeper for Great Plains. She was a member of the First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Oakland and was active in the Dorcas Society, serving as President for several years. She was co-chair of the church’s funeral lunch committee and also participated in the church’s quilting group. Maurice and Norma turned their rock and gem hobby into a business when they began exhibiting in craft shows with their stones and jewelry in 1980 and gem and mineral shows in 1988.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Maurice; parents; brother, Dayton; father- and mother-in law, Ruthford and Inez Peterson; and daughter, Annette.

Survivors include her daughter, Donna Peterson, son-in-law, Roger Keesling, and grandson, Preston of Waukesha, Wisconsin; sister and brother-in-law, Phyllis (Tom) Meyer of Uehling, Nebraska; sister-in-law, Margaret Benne of Oakland; brothers and sisters-in-law, Delwin (Hilda) Benne, Dwight (Mary) Benne all of Oakland, Gerald (Barb) Benne of Albion, Nebraska; many nieces and nephews; and a host of friends.

FUNERAL SERVICE:  Saturday, June 13, 2009, 10:30 a.m. at the First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Oakland.

VISITATION: Friday, June 12, 2009, 1 – 8 p.m. with the family receiving friends from 6 – 8 p.m. at Pelan Funeral Home in Oakland. Visitation will also be held Saturday at the church one hour prior to the service.

INTERMENT: Oakland Cemetery

MEMORIALS: Donor’s Choice or Dorcas Society

Please feel free to send your condolences to the family.
Each condolence will be printed and given to the family after the service.

pelanfuneralservices@hotmail.com