EVA M. PETERSON
Eva M. Peterson, 96, died on October 10, 2024, at St. John’s Fisher Cottage after a long illness. She was born in Ryegate, Montana, on July 24, 1928, the second child of Charles Verne Johnson and Gladys (Henton) Johnson. She began her education in Ryegate and graduated from High School there in 1946, and was a life-long learner. She received a degree in Elementary Education through Eastern Montana College (now MSU-Billings) and taught second grade in Laurel, Montana. In the 1980s she continued her education in Art and Scandinavian Studies at Eastern. Over the years she worked in the Ryegate Post Office, became a homemaker and farm wife, and was a substitute teacher at Huntley Project Schools.
On September 1, 1948, she was united in marriage to her husband of 59 years, Harvey O. Peterson. They lived in Laurel, Molt and Billings, and settled to raise their family on a small farm outside of Huntley, Montana. They moved back to Billings during their retirement years.
Eva loved to draw and paint, especially portraits of people, nature’s beauty, and a series based on Christmas stamps. She had a deep interest in archaeology and artifacts, geology and fossils, and history, especially regarding Native American and Scandinavian cultures. She loved to spend time with Harvey at their place in Sapphire Village and catalog the gems they found. They traveled to South Korea and Germany with the Friendship Force, and they also toured Central and South America and Italy visiting their children. Her far-flung family meant everything to her. She was a very devout Catholic and was active in the Cursillo movement as well as the local charismatic community. She was a member of St. Cyril and Methodius Church in Pompey’s Pillar (now in Ballantine), and most recently a member of St. Bernard’s Church until her illness prevented her from many of the ministries and activities she loved. She will be remembered for her tender heart, artistic spirit, and kind generosity.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Harvey, sisters Elizabeth Johnson, Joan Krause, and Margaret Redding, and son Charles. She is survived by her daughter-in-law, Camila (Boulder, CO), her daughter, Jeanette (Ross) Edward (Ammon, ID), and her sons Jay (Great Falls, MT), Thomas (Cheyenne, WY) and William (Carole) (Nye, MT and Medford, OR). She has seven grandchildren: Amy (Joel) Barrett, Emily Reinwand, Ross (Abigail) Edward II, Lindsay (Rob) Coleman, and Colin (Lindsay) Edward; Daniel Peterson and Andrew (Hailey) Peterson. She has 19 great-grandchildren, as well as numerous nephews and nieces.
Visitation will be held at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, October 14, 2024, at Dahl Funeral Chapel, followed by the Funeral Vigil at 6:00 p.m. The Mass of Christian Burial will take place at St. Bernard Church (226 Wicks Lane, Billings,MT) on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, at 11:00 a.m., with burial following at Sunset Memorial Gardens. Dahl Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
Eva’s family extends gratitude to the staff at Shipp’s Assisted Living in Absarokee and St. John’s (Liggett and Fischer Cottages) for their many years of gracious service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the St. Vincent de Paul Society in Billings or the St. Labre Indian School in Ashland, Montana.
