Celesta Peterson - Van Meter

Celesta Madonna (Brooker) Peterson was born to Christian parents, Marion Wesley and Marguerite Henrietta (Wehrkamp) Brooker, in her 1870's ancestral home in Van Meter, Iowa on January 25, 1933. She died peacefully Wednesday, December 9 at Manor Care in West Des Moines. Funeral services will be at 10:00 a.m. Monday, December 14, 2015 at Faith Lutheran Church in Adel with burial at Trinity Cemetery. Friends may call after Noon Sunday at McCalley Funeral Home in Adel where family will greet friends from 2-4 p.m. with prayer service at 4 p.m. Celesta was baptized in infancy August 2, 1933 at Trinity Lutheran Church (LCMS) in Van Meter and later confirmed her vows through confirmation June 16, 1946 at Trinity Lutheran, Van Meter. She attended all her school years at Van Meter School and graduated in 1950. As a youth she was active in Walther League, Dallas County 4-H Orchestra, 4-H, school speech and declam groups, music groups including chorus, small vocal groups and orchestra where she played the violin and was member of the All State Chorus. She studied piano from the age of four through high school beginning with her neighbor Edna Carpenter, and continuing on with Odessa Llewellyn, who had been tutored in Europe by the famous composer Paderewski. After graduation, she attended the American Institute of Business in Des Moines, graduating with an associate degree in court reporting. She went to work at Wetherell and Harrison, Architects in Des Moines. She was a member of the Polk County Young Republican Board and active in politics during the 50's. On March 14, 1954 she married Robert Wilbur Peterson of Des Moines at Trinity Lutheran, Van Meter. Two children, Janet Marie (husband Bob) Willemsen of Des Moines and Daniel Wade Peterson of De Soto were born to this marriage. After the family came she stayed home to the raise the children. She was active in church, community and school activities. She liked to serve others with her talents. She studied pipe organ at Drake University. She served Trinity Lutheran Church at Van Meter as organist for over 30 years, and also served many years as choir director. She traveled many years with the late Pastor E. A. Breiholz to Mt. Calvary in Indianola to serve as substitute pianist there and at Faith Lutheran Church and PreSchool in Adel where she served for eight years as pianist. She learned the Braille alphabet and did hand transcribing for the blind of Lutheran Women's Missionary League. She was the first Vacation Bible School teacher at Trinity in 1946 and also taught Sunday School there for over 35 years. She served as a Dallas County homemaker health aide, wrote the South Van Meter news weekly column in the Dallas County News which included a "From Out My Window" section, which was her view on things around the community and the world. She operated a 5,000 great grandparent breeding flock of chickens for HyLine (now HyVac) and entertained poultry industry people from all over the world who came to view her facility. She was a member of two bowling leagues and bowled in the Central Iowa Ladies' Traveling Classic League for Horseshoe Lanes in Adel, with a 3 game high series of 682. She was a member and held offices in the Jefferson Township ladies Farm Bureau, the Van Meter Tuesday Club, PTA and Music Boosters. In 1975, she returned to the business world working at Meredith Corporation in Des Moines, where she retired in 1989. After her retirement she again was active as a Blank Hospital Guild volunteer for many years, The Van Meter Tuesday Club, a quilting club, Faith Lutheran Church's JOYS, choir and Board of Christian Outreach, and the Van Meter Senior Citizens Housing Board. She served as secretary to the Dallas County & Polk County Federated Women's Club for many years. She resumed her writing for the Dallas County News and began teaching piano in her home. She served as organist for funerals and as a substitute organist for several churches around the area. Her hobbies included classical music, antiques, baking, gardening, quilting and being a homemaker. Her survivors include her husband Robert, daughter Janet (husband Bob) Willemsen of Des Moines and granddaughter Randey Peterson of Dexter. She was preceded in death by her son Dan Peterson of De Soto brother Kenneth Cordell Booker of Van Meter. Memorial contributions may be directed to Faith Lutheran Church Choir or the Animal Rescue League. Online condolences may be left on this site. Service: 10:00 AM Monday December 14, 2015 Faith Lutheran Church Adel, Iowa Visitation: Friends may call after Noon Sunday, December 13th. Family will greet friends from 2-4 PM McCalley Funeral Home Adel, Iowa