Barbara Peterson

Barbara Josephine Peterson, 96, passed away on Wednesday, April 17, 2013. She will be dearly missed by her family and friends and by many who came to know her during her decades of service to Pleasant Ridge Waldorf School in Viroqua. She was an incredibly thoughtful, kind and dedicated human being who loved deeply, worked hard and had a delightful sense of humor. For most of her life, she relentlessly saw the best in everyone and was reluctant to judge anyone. She was a hugely giving person, called herself a "penny philanthropist," and always was appreciative of even the smallest of gifts or kindly gestures. She was a master connector, always finding exactly the person someone needed to meet to accomplish a task or make their life better. This was just one of her many gifts, which she wore with humility and with no apparent knowledge that she had these treasured abilities. She had a deep spiritual life, which helped sustain her through the loss of her dear, older daughter, Judy, in 1992. She loved Pleasant Ridge, Viroqua, and her Viroqua friends, including her neighbors on E. South St. and in Maplewood Terrace to which she moved in 2009. She often said that her family was her earthly treasure. She is survived by her sister, Constance Kempees of Layton, Utah; daughter, Carol V. Hicks, of Beavercreek, Ohio; sons-in-law, George W. Hicks and Sven Midelfort; daughter-in-law, Petra Ressler; granddaughter, Leila Midelfort; and husband, James Andrae; and children, Amelia and Soren Midelfort Andrae; her grandson Erik Benjamin Midelfort, all of Madison/Monona, Wis., and an extended family of dear friends and Midelfort family members. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Barbara Peterson Childrens Fund at Pleasant Ridge Waldorf School, 431 E. Court St., Viroqua, Wis. 54665. A memorial service to honor Barbara and celebrate her life will be 2 p.m. on Saturday in the gymnasium of Pleasant Ridge Waldorf School. The Vosseteig-Larson Funeral Home of Viroqua is assisting the Family.