Sharon Peterson

Sharon Peterson, 84, of Willmar, died Thursday, March 5 at Vista Prairie at Copperleaf in Willmar. Her funeral service will be 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, March 10, at Bethel Lutheran Church in Willmar with visitation one hour prior to the service at the church.  Burial will be in Bethel Lutheran Cemetery in Willmar. A livestream of the service can be found here. Arrangements are with Harvey Anderson & Johnson Funeral Home in Willmar. www.hafh.org

Sharon Arlene Peterson was born on February 19, 1942, in Chicago, Illinois, to Marshall and Margaret (Winge) Merriman. She was baptized at Trinity Lutheran Church in Chicago and grew up in the Chicago area, graduating from Steinmetz High School. After high school, Sharon continued her education at Golden Valley Lutheran Junior College in Golden Valley, Minnesota. She lived in Golden Valley for a time and worked as a nurse’s aide at Shriners Hospital for Crippled Children until 1964. She later made Willmar her home.

In 1964, Sharon began working at Bethel Lutheran Church as a Youth Worker in Christian Education. On September 27, 1969, she married Paul Peterson at Bethel Lutheran Church in Willmar. Their marriage was blessed with one son, Steve. Sharon stepped away from work for a time to raise her son before returning to Bethel Lutheran Church as Financial Secretary, a role she faithfully held from 1978 until her retirement in 2014. She truly loved her work and the community at Bethel. After retiring, Sharon also worked part-time as a caregiver with Compassionate Care until 2022.

Sharon was a devoted member of Bethel Lutheran Church. She enjoyed gardening, baking homemade bread, playing games, dominoes with friends, and birdwatching. Most of all, she cherished time spent with her grandchildren, whom she adored.

Sharon is survived by her son, Steve (Kelly) Peterson, and her grandchildren: Marcus, McKena, and Marisa Peterson. She was preceded in death by her husband, Paul, in 2017, parents, Marshall and Margaret; and sister, Arlene.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Sharon Peterson, please visit our floral store.