Barbara Colleen Peterson

   K

 PLEASANT PRAIRIE – Barbara Colleen Peterson, 79, of Pleasant Prairie, passed away peacefully at Seasons Hospice on Monday, November 3, 2014, following a long illness.

   Born February 18, 1935, in Boise, Idaho, she was the daughter of the late Melvin Dalton and Helen Simpson.  At 18 years of age, she met William, from Kenosha, who was stationed at the Air Force base in Mountain Home, Idaho.  They met on a blind date, married on September 5, 1953, and eventually made their home in Pleasant Prairie where they lived together for 61 years.  As a young bride, she was quite industrious, finding their dream home in the country and raising five children.  She also designed a new home, which they built together on their property, later designing other additions, including their favorite – the new sunroom. 

   Early on, she worked various jobs at Anderson Motors, Jockey International, LeBlanc, Gateway Technical College, Anton’s Greenhouse, and at Sears as an H&R Block tax preparer and notary.  Over the years, she was a dedicated homemaker, providing her family with home-cooked meals, tending to their gorgeous park-like yard, and caring for the family pets and the many and varied strays that found their way into the fold.

   Through her children’s participation in extracurricular activities, she became quite indispensable as a costume designer and seamstress for Lance and Tremper variety shows, Golden Strings, Ye Olde Englishe Christmasse Feastes, Choraliers, 4-H horse shows, and the Kenosha County Ice Arena figure skating shows. She also made gowns for her daughters’ weddings and the Miss Kenosha and Miss Wisconsin pageants.  In addition to founding the Southport Ladies Investment Klub, she enjoyed her membership with the Southport Quilters Guild and the Pleasant Prairie RecPlex  where she proudly wore her Member #1 badge.

   A devout vegetarian and environmentalist, she teamed up with John Denver and the Windstar Foundation in the 1990s to further awareness about living a sustainable lifestyle.  Appropriately, it was John’s music that was playing as she passed from this world. 

   Her greatest joy in life came from spending time with her eight beautiful grandchildren, whom she traveled the country often to visit.  In later years, she loved to drive her golf cart across the street to visit Anton’s Greenhouse to pick out flowers for her yard.  She loved the flowers and the trees and spent hours watching the squirrels and birds eat the feasts she would serve them during the winter. 

   Barbara was preceded in death by her parents and her three-year-old son Bartley.

   She is survived by her loving husband, William, of Pleasant Prairie; sister, Gayle (Wesley) Loveland, of Boise, ID; children – Beverly (William) Wilson, of Hayward, WI; Brenda (Paul) Roiniotis, of Pleasant Prairie; Bradley (Sylvia) Peterson, of Los Altos, CA; Bobbi Peterson (Steve Tenwinkel), of Pleasant Prairie; grandchildren – Amanda (Chris Robson) and Corianne Wilson; Carly, Nick, and Andy Roiniotis; Lauren, Taylor, and Morgan Peterson; numerous adoring nieces and nephews.  She is also survived by her beloved pet children and grandchildren – Hook, Tinker Belle, Alex, Bruiser, Molly, Dorothy, Bailey, Flicka, Midnight, and Gimi.

    Family and friends are invited to meet in the Draeger-Langendorf Funeral Home on Saturday, November 8, 2014 at 10:00 a.m. for a service celebrating and remembering Barb’s life.  There will be a visitation in the funeral home from 9-10 a.m.  A private interment will take place at Sunset Ridge Memorial Park.

   In lieu of flowers, memorials would be appreciated to Safe Harbor Humane Society of Kenosha, 7811 60th Ave, Kenosha, WI 53142 – (262) 694-4047.