Carol Peterson

Carol Myrtice Johansen Peterson, age 95, of Urbana, died on June 15, 2023 at Urbana, Illinois.
Funeral services will be at Wesley United Methodist Church, 1203 W Green Street, Urbana, IL on Tuesday, June 20, 2023. There will be a viewing beginning at 10:00 am at the entrance to the sanctuary, service at 11:00 am and a reception following in the Watseka Lounge at the church. Graveside services will be Friday, June 23 at 10:30 AM at the Evergreen Cemetery, near Meckling, South Dakota.

Carol and her twin brother Curtis were born May 15, 1928, in Wakonda, South Dakota, to Chris and Margrete Johansen.

Carol graduated from Wakonda High School and attended South Dakota State University where she majored in Home Economics with a minor in science.  She met her beloved Bill in the library at SDSU.  She and William “Bill” Peterson were married on June 10, 1949, in Brookings, South Dakota.

Carol taught Home Economics in Webster, South Dakota for five years after marriage.  Bill and Carol then moved to Brookings, South Dakota for twenty-three years.  When their children were young, Carol was a stay-at-home mother.  Carol led 4-H and Girl Scout and Cub Scout groups. The family enjoyed vacations traveling around the country with a pop-up camper and a canoe.  

Bill & Carol moved to Champaign in 1978, where Bill worked as Extension Agricultural Engineer for the University of Illinois until his retirement in 1995.  Bill and Carol were active in square dancing, ballroom dancing and their church.  In retirement, they traveled extensively to Africa, Central America, New Zealand, Australia, Hawaii and Europe.  They traveled to all 50 states in the U.S. and Canada, camping most of the time.

Carol was a very talented, creative person.  She shared this creativity with many people through her teaching of her many skills.  Carol loved birds and banded them in her yard and other places.  It was well known that she would often stop when driving so she could identify a particular bird.  Carol decorated cakes and was very sought after for her beautiful wedding and other cakes.  She was an avid gardener, sewer, cross stitcher, and quilter.  She loved hosting parties for the many groups that she was involved with, often hosting up to 30 people at a time in her home.  And she loved her grandchildren, teaching them many skills over the years.
Carol was a member of the Wesley United Methodist Church of Urbana, PEO, Wesley Quilters, Floorsitters, U of Illinois Women’s Club and helped with International Students at the University of Illinois, Champaign.

Survivors include their two children, Karen Peterson of Silver Spring, MD, and Keith (Debbie) Peterson of Hampshire, IL and their two children, Michael of Hampshire and Cari (Nao) Ito of Tokyo, Japan and great-granddaughter Mia Ito. She is also survived by sisters Beverly (Marvin) Winkelman and Shirley (James) Routin and brother-in-law, Richard (Pat) Peterson and many nieces and nephews.

Memorials may be directed to the charity of your choice.

The Hansen Funeral Home in Vermillion is in charge of arrangements.

Condolences may be offered at www.HansenFuneralHome.com or www.morganmemorialhome.com.