Gayle Peterson, 87 of Plummer, MN passed away peacefully on Wednesday, August 22nd at the Skjerven family farm in Plummer, MN.

The Memorial Service to celebrate Gayle's life will be held at 2:00 PM Wednesday August 28, 2024 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Plummer, MN, with Reverend Jonathan Dodson officiating. Burial will be at Emardville Cemetery, Plummer, MN.

Gayle Hope Peterson (Skjerven) was born on December 14th, 1936, in Park River, ND, the daughter of John and Alice (Hanson) Skjerven. She was the fifth of seven children. She was baptized and confirmed at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Park River, ND. Gayle attended school in Park River, ND and Plummer, MN. Graduating with the Plummer class of 1955. In high school she was a baton twirler for the school band and was elected as the Homecoming Queen. She was the first one of her family on both the Skjerven and Hanson side to graduate from college.  She paid her own way through college and earned a bachelor's degree in social work from The University of Minnesota, class of 1965. She worked as a social worker in Minneapolis and then in New York City before motherhood.

Gayle was united in marriage to James Peterson on February 23rd 1968 in New York City. The couple had two sons, Eric and Peter. Gayle's pride and joy was being a wife and mother. She cherished her time at home as a full-time mother of two boys.

After both boys were born, they traded the lifestyle of living in a NYC apartment for life in the country, purchasing an abandoned home built in 1888 on 7 acres overlooking the Hudson River in Briarcliff Manor, NY (30 miles north of NYC).  She loved fixing up and restoring her old Victorian house and going to Westchester county estate sales building up her collection of antique furniture.  She shared her joy of antiques and junk store shopping with all.

She was active in her church community and led the women's society for a couple of years in charge of rummage sale and other fundraisers for the church.

In her golden years she enjoyed spending time and playing with her grandson, Luca. She also enjoyed painting and used copies of her paintings as Christmas cards to send to friends and family. She enjoyed playing cards, phone conversations and emails with friends and relatives. She treasured reunions with her school friends from Park River. She was proud and loved all her relatives with her home always adorned with pictures of them.

Gayle is preceded in death by her husband James; her parents, John and Alice (Hanson) Skjerven; grandparents; Hakon & Eliza Skjerven and Olaf & Hilda Hanson; sister, Jean Skjerven McCrary; brother, Leroy (Stoney) Skjerven; brother and sisters-in-law, Roger (Charlotte "Pollie") Skjerven and Jerome (Emilie) Skjerven; and sister-in-law, Margaret Skjerven.

Gayle is survived by her two loving sons, Eric Peterson and Peter (Vera) Peterson; Her grandchild Luca James Peterson; her siblings, Donald (Nancy) Skjerven and John Skjerven; and many nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.