Vera Marie Petersen

Vera Marie Petersen, 90, of St. Paul died Sunday, October 02, 2016 at CHI Health St. Francis in Grand Island.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Wednesday at the United Methodist Church in St. Paul.  Reverend Momo Larmena, Jr. will officiate.  Interment will be in South Logan Cemetery, north of St. Paul.

Visitation will be Tuesday, from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. at the church.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to United Methodist Church, Howard County Historical Society, St. Paul Library or St. Paul EMT’s.

Jacobsen-Greenway Funeral Home in St. Paul is in charge of arrangements.

Vera was born March 26, 1926 in Grand Island to Vern and Lois (Winset) Nicholas.

She was raised in Grand Island and attended Grand Island Senior High where she graduated in 1944.  She attended Nebraska Wesleyan University and later Kearney State College where she graduated with a degree in elementary education.

Vera was united in marriage to Harland Petersen on May 22, 1949 in Grand Island.

The couple made their home on the family farm North of St. Paul.

Vera taught school at several area elementary schools.  She also worked at the Howard County Community Hospital.

Vera was active in United Methodist Women, church circle, Danish Brotherhood, Rebekah Lodge, card club, tutoring and volunteering.  Her passion was reading.

Survivors include her five children and spouses, Alice and Larry Leppke of Sun City West, AZ, Deborah and Bill Gravell of Littleton, CO, Gwen and Art Kuhl and Susan and Craig Foss, all of Grand Island and Jay and Phylis Petersen of St. Paul; 11 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren; a brother, Ralph Nicholas of Estes Park, CO; a sister and husband, Shirley and Ernie Scheffert of Lincoln; and a sister-in-law Florence Hanisch of Lincoln; and numerous nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her husband, Harland on July 17, 1995 and a son-in-law Don Kosmicki.