BEVERLY M. PETERSEN , 83, of rural Cleghorn, Iowa passed away peacefully, Tuesday morning, January 9, 2018 in the Happy Siesta Care Center in Remsen, Iowa.

Memorial services will be held on Saturday, January 13th, at 2 p.m . at the First Presbyterian Church in Cleghorn, Iowa. Rev. Eric Wright will officiate. Burial will be in the Marcus-Amherst Cemetery at a later date. There will be a family prayer service at 1:45 p.m. at the church on Saturday. Visitation will be held on Friday from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. with the family present from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. at the Boothby Funeral Home in Cherokee, Iowa. Online condolences can be left at www.boothbyfuneral.com In lieu of flowers the family requests memorials be made to the Alzheimer's Association or The Dreams Program at the Happy Siesta Care Center in Remsen, Iowa.

Beverly was born May 26, 1934, at Grand Meadow, Iowa to William & Lucinda (Hall) Irwin. She graduated from Grand Meadow High School in 1951. She attended Wayne State Teacher's College in Wayne, Nebraska receiving an Associate Arts Degree in Elementary Education in 1953. She later attended Westmar College in LeMars Iowa receiving her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Elementary Education in 1973. Beverly was married to Dean Petersen on June 10, 1956 at the Meadow Star Church at rural Washta, Iowa. They celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary in 2017.

Beverly had a passion for teaching. She was an elementary school teacher for 30 years, teaching in Cherokee, Marcus, and Meriden-Cleghorn Schools, retiring in May of 1994. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Cleghorn, Iowa where she was active in the church circle and the Mariner's Group in earlier years.

Beverly enjoyed playing bridge, reading, gardening, cooking and baking, singing in the church choir and quartet, and was an avid supporter of high school athletics. She loved her winter home in Texas, where she and Dean spent several years making many cherished friendships.

She was preceded in death by her parents, two brothers Kenneth and Cecil Irwin.

She is survived by her husband Dean and her three children: Laurel (Michael) Manoles of Golden Valley, Minnesota; Bryan (Laura) Petersen of Cleghorn, Iowa; Bradley (Mona) Petersen of Cohasset, Minnesota; 10 grandchildren and 1 great granddaughter: Erin Manoles, Nicholas (Amy) Manoles, Baley Petersen (Elliott Mimms), Tucker Petersen (Danielle Harmdierks), Elisa Lundquist (Neil Schulze) and their daughter Harper Schulze, Jace Lundquist, Kelsey (Brent) Perreault, Kasey Petersen (Sean DuBe`), Karley Petersen, and Claire Petersen; two sisters-in-law: Maxine Irwin of Washta, Iowa and Bonnie Irwin of Marcus, Iowa; also nieces, nephews, many close friends and hundreds of former students.