Katharine Elisabeth Peterson, 95

April 29, 2020

Katharine Elisabeth Peterson (nee Allen), age 95, WWII veteran, died Sunday March 29th at Conestoga View Care Center, Lancaster, Pa. of natural causes.

Katharine is survived by her four daughters: Lynda (Jimmy) Tinsley, Susan (Dave) Niggel, Carol (Bill) Lindbeck and Nancy (Ed) Liberda. Grandchildren; Laura (Michael) Cox, William VanWormer, David (Angela) Niggel, Greg Niggel, Elizabeth (Alex)Rushing, Megan (Tom) Koep, Anna (TJ) DeGonda, Catherine Liberda, Marc (Ellen) Lindbeck.
Great-grandchildren; Victoria Fratz, Alan (Shannon) VanWormer, Elissa Niggel, Rebecca Niggel, Hailea Koep, Harmonee Koep, Calliope Rushing, Sabry Rushing, Emrys Rushing, Hattie Koep, Margaret DeGonda.

She is preceded in death by her parents Andrews and Emerson (Cook) Allen, husbands; George Klaus and Engwald Peterson, granddaughter Jennifer Lindbeck and great-granddaughter Athena Rushing. Brothers: Francis Allen, Henry Allen, Andrews Allen; all honored and decorated WWII veterans.

Katharine was born in Chicago, Ill January 10th, 1925, with their home in Glencoe, Ill. Her father had a prominent Chicago Civil Engineering business, Allen & Garcia Co, working around the globe on mining and bridge projects. Her mother was a socialite and humanitarian in the Chicago community.

Following her father’s death in 1931, their family moved to Madison, WI to be near their father’s family. Katharine completed her education at the prestigious finishing school, Kemper Hall in Kenosha, WI. She then attended Syracuse University in New York, leaving there to enlist in the army in 1945.

Katharine is a veteran of WWII having served in the Woman’s Army Corps (WACs). Taking basic training at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia and serving at Kennedy General Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. She was honored to be a guide for Helen Keller when she came there to visit the disabled veterans. She was honorably discharged in March of 1946 as a Tech Corporal.

Katharine raised her family in Butler, PA and Roseville, MN. She was a postal worker with the St Paul MN main postal facility for 22 years. She did volunteer work with the Blind Assoc of MN where she dictated books for the blind. She was very active in both her church communities in PA and MN, often leading the children’s programs and festivals. She was especially proud of her Christmas pageant which she wrote and directed.

After retiring, she lived in Fredric, WI, Hudson, WI and Lancaster, PA, engaging with the local communities and churches. She had a zest for life. While in Hudson she learned to paint with oils. She was so thrilled with her art and painted over 30 small paintings which she has shared with her family and friends.

Katharine’s smile, kind words, and contagious optimism won her friends from everyone she met. You never heard a disparaging word from her. The world is a little bleaker without her in it.

Service plans will be made when travel and gathering restrictions are lifted.