Donna M. (Kolsrud) Peterson, age 87, of Tucson, AZ, passed away peacefully at Brookdale Santa Catalina in Tucson, AZ, on Thursday, December 19, 2024. She was a former resident of Great Falls, MT.
Donna was born on January 10, 1937, in Great Falls, MT, to John A. and Ethel E. (Lambert) Kolsrud. Donna was the youngest of four sisters. She attended local schools and graduated from Great Falls High School in May 1955. It was in Great Falls that she met her forever sweetheart, Donald R. Peterson, whom she married on August 11, 1956.
Donna worked in the offices of Northwestern National Life insurance Co from 1955 to 1965, and then for J.C.C.S., PC accounting firm, as supervisor of tax processing until Don was transferred to Tucson, AZ, in 1981. She then worked for Hammel and Co., PC as office manager until retirement in 2000.
Donna and her three sisters, Marlys, Susie, and Oline, were as close as any sisters could possibly be. They started making beautiful porcelain dolls in the 1970’s together, from pouring the slip, painting, firing the kiln, to making the very finely stitched and detailed clothing. Many, many dolls later, when the plaster molds got too heavy, they started making quilts - SO many beautiful quilts! They may have lived in separate states, but they were inseparable with the daily phone calls and, at the very least, yearly get-togethers at one of their houses for many weeks at a time, doing the hobbies that they all loved. There was so much laughter when the four girls got together. Don and Donna’s travels took them to Europe, Hawaii, and many states across the U.S., but they loved their yearly trips back home to Great Falls to spend time with family and good friends.
Donna is survived by her three children, Mark (Tracey) Peterson of Phoenix, AZ, Mari (Rob) Wilbur of Great Falls, MT, and James Peterson of Tucson, AZ. She is also survived by nine grandchildren, Casey Peterson, Sam (Vivian) Peterson, Kyle Peterson, James Wilbur, Matthew Wilbur, Erica Wilbur, Donny Peterson, Thomas Peterson and Jamie Peterson, plus numerous nieces and nephews. Donna is preceded in death by her husband, Donald Peterson (by 18 days), parents John and Ethel Kolsrud, and her sisters Oline Park, Sue McHugh, and Marlys Stewart.
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