Doris Peterson

Doris Peterson, longtime resident of Baudette, passed away at Birchwood Senior Living in Forest Lake, Minnesota on December 18, 2015.  Doris was born to Erick and Anna (Johnson) Peterson in Spooner on March 3, 1922 and was raised on the family farm in the close-knit community of Hay Creek.  A defining event in her life was surviving the Hay Creek/Rapid River fire of 1931 by huddling in the creek under a soaked quilt with her mother and sister.  She graduated from Northwest School of Agriculture (a regional residential high school) at Crookston in 1939 and went on to earn an Advanced Certificate in 1940 from the fourth year program.  Doris received her Two Year Curriculum in Elementary Education Diploma at Bemidji State Teachers College in 1943 and completed her education with a Bachelor of Science Degree also from Bemidji State Teachers College in 1950.  Doris taught elementary school her whole career, including commuting weekly from Baudette to International Falls for 26 years until she retired in 1982.  A unique career experience was teaching at an Air Force base in Morocco, Africa for the 1955-1956 school year.  Doris enjoyed traveling with her sister and together they toured the U.S. and Canada.  They also made multiple trips to Sweden to visit family.  She is survived and greatly missed by her sister, Mae, four nieces and nephews, four great nieces and nephews, and several cousins.  She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Roger.  Interment was at Elm Park Cemetery in Baudette.  A memorial service will be held later.