Leonora Petersen

Sturtevant – Leonora A. Petersen, 71, passed away at home on Saturday, August 26, 2017. Leonora, affectionately known as “Lee”, was born in Detroit, Michigan on September 11, 1945, daughter of the late Marios Vayiar and Georgia (nee: Christy) Zelenski. On November 27, 1965, Lee was joined in marriage to Peter Petersen at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Union Grove, Wisconsin.

Lee was a devoted wife and mother who took pride in caring for her family and many others. She enjoyed knitting, sewing, preparing family meals, and entertaining. She also appreciated being outdoors, liked to garden, travel, and camping. Lee was baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in 1961 making nearly 56 years as an active and faithful member of the Lockwood Park Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Of those years, she spent 31 years as a full-time volunteer Bible instructor in the community. She was a loyal friend, making everyone she met feel special. Her smile was contagious. Her positive outlook on life made you feel empowered. Lee was not only a classy lady; she was tough and sassy with an infectious laugh.

Lee is survived by her loving husband Peter Petersen; their children, Eric (Carley) Petersen of Oakland, California, Nicole Petersen of Sturtevant, Wisconsin and Ryan (Joanna) Petersen of Patterson, New York. She is further survived by brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law Chuck and Linda Petersen, Dyan and Mike Mahy, Virginia and Ron Ziegler, Helen and Norm Warner, Tom and Margaret Petersen, Valerie and Dan Annis, Elizabeth and Scott Gapp; dearest cousins Heidi (Ted) VanDermaas and Gary Messerschmidt; as well as other relatives and many friends.

A memorial service for Lee was held on Saturday, September 2, 2017 at 3:00 p.m. at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 1600 N. Summerset Drive, Racine, Wisconsin, with Scott Gapp officiating.  Memorials have been suggested to the Worldwide Work of Jehovah’s Witnesses at www.jw.org and click on “Make a Donation to Our Worldwide Work” at the bottom of the webpage.

The Petersen family would like to express their sincere thanks to Dr. Syed Haider, Gina and the entire staff at the Vince Lombardi Cancer Clinic of Aurora Health Care in Burlington, Wisconsin and the loving care given by Kate, Lori, Lisa, Shirley, Jenny and Brianna at The Aurora at Home Hospice Program. And a special thanks to Lee’s “team” of chiropractors, personal trainers, massage therapists, physical therapists and acupuncturists. All of you kept her strong and helped her feel her best.