Ruth L. Petersen

Funeral services for Ruth L. Petersen, 88, of Davenport, will be 11:00 am on Friday, at Chambers Funeral Home, Eldridge, IA. Burial will follow at Maysville Cemetery, Maysville, IA. Family will greet friends on Friday from 9:00 am to service time at Chambers Funeral Home, Eldridge, IA.

Ruth passed away December 3, 2023, surrounded by loving family members.

She was born in Muscatine on June 26, 1935, to Louis and Edith Fitzgerald. She grew up in Muscatine and Davenport, graduating from Davenport High School with the class of 1953. On October 18, 1961, she married Jerris Glen Petersen, and the city girl moved to Donahue, where she would live for the next 52 years.

Throughout her life, Ruth’s priority was family. She ran her sons to baseball and basketball games and supported their Scouting experience as Cub Scout Den Mother. She supported Jerry in his partnership at P&W Implement, eventually serving as bookkeeper for the farm machinery business. She and Jerry were also active community volunteers, serving organizations including the Donahue Sportsman’s Club, Donahue American Legion and Auxiliary, and Donahue Volunteer Fire Department. She also regularly served at elections and even served for a time with the Donahue post office.

When Jerry died in 2013, Ruth moved to Garner Place in Davenport, in part to be closer to her Davenport grandkids.

Left to carry on her legacy of family and community service are her sons, Tom (Cathy) of Cedar Rapids and Craig (Dotti) of Davenport; grandchildren Ellen (Douglas) Petersen of West Des Moines, Jessyca (Brandon) Butler of Davenport, AJ (Sarah) Petersen of Davenport, Christian Petersen of Minneapolis, MN, and Jacen (Drew) Petersen of Davenport; great-grandchildren, Landen Butler of Davenport, Sawyer Petersen of Davenport, Lennon Petersen of Davenport.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband and sister, Flossie Peters of Cedar Rapids.

In lieu of flowers, memorials be directed to Donahue Sportsman’s Club, Donahue Volunteer Fire Dept., Donahue American Legion Larry M. Gronewold Post 532.

Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.McGinnis-Chambers.com.