- Date Of Birth: April 25, 1930
- Date Of Death: November 12, 2014
- State: Nebraska
Mrs. Peterson died Wednesday, November 12, 2014 at Countryside Home.
Kathryn Mae Peterson was born April 25, 1930 in pierce the daughter of Martin and Edna (Green) Kuhl. She was the only granddaughter to Kate Green and was born on her birthday. She was baptized May 25, 1930 at Zion Lutheran Church, Pierce by Reverend Schieps.
Kay attended Pierce Public schools through the sixth grade at which time the family moved to Norfolk. She was confirmed at Grace Lutheran Church by Pastor W. C. Rehwaldt. Kay graduated from Norfolk High School in 1947. On October 28, 1947 she took the State Board exam and received her license to practice Cosmetology and worked in a beauty shop in Norfolk for several years.
Kay was united in marriage on May 7, 1950 to Richard Peterson at Grace Lutheran Church. They farmed south of Norfolk in the Enola area and started a new business Peterson Apiaries owning 2,500 hives of honey bees. Their business took them to the Rio Grande Valley in Texas and to Colorado. Kay was always there to help, even driving truckloads of bees to Texas.
Once she raised her family she acquired a beauty shop Kays Kurl in Madison and developed it into a very successful business which she owned for many years. In 1981 Richard was elected as a Nebraska State Senator and served for 12 years. Again Kay was there to help. She was selected to the Governors Advisory Committee for the visual impaired serving in this position for 3 different Governors. She served 12 years on the Foster Care Review Board, a position she really enjoyed. Kay served as G.O.P. State Central Committee from Madison County for many years and was elected to attend the National G.O.P. Convention 3 different times. One unique accomplishment was being the first woman to serve as President of the Madison Chamber of Commerce. She also served on many different committees in church, school, and the community.
She enjoyed music, country to classical, sewing for her daughters, traveling to almost all the states, and going to athletic events.
Kay is survived by her husband Richard of Norfolk, two sons and their wives, Mike and Donna Peterson of Brookings, S.D., and Richard and Constance Peterson of East Chicago, IN and Nashville, TN, three daughters and their husbands, Sandra and Larry Harvey of Lincoln, Karen and Robert Kahler of Denver, CO, and Julie and Scott Fisher of Grand Island. A total of 10 grand and step grandchildren and a number of great grandchildren, one brother Gene and his wife Paula Kuhl of Tampa, Florida.
She was a strong Christian Woman.
