Elsie South

Elsie Merle Peterson was born April 10, 1926, in Cass County, Iowa, the daughter of Nels and Edna (Johnson) Peterson and passed away Tuesday, January 21, 2014, at the Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic.


She was a lifelong resident of Cass County and attended country school there. On September 28, 1946, Elsie married Donald C. South at the First United Methodist Church in Atlantic, Iowa.

She was employed at the Canning Factory, Walton's, the Coke plant, the Iowa Café and Bob's Downtowner. Elsie was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Atlantic, the Esther Circle and the Royal Neighbors Club.

Elsie enjoyed gardening with Don and was an avid card player, playing cards every Friday night for 40 years. The family took a two week vacation every year. Although all were memorable, Elsie's favorite trip was to Hawaii.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Donald; her parents, Nels and Edna Peterson; her siblings, Ralph (Ruby) Peterson, Helen (Harold) Petersen, Maxine (Emery) Carlson, Dorothy Will and Jenny Cavanaugh; and her son-in-law, Jim Young.

Surviving Elsie are her children, Connie Young of Atlantic, Debra (Kevin) Namanny of Massena, Patricia (Bobby) Kuhns of Lewis and Mike (Bev) South of Kansas City, MO; her grandchildren, Chris Kelly, Scott Kelly, Chad Kelly, Brian Soper and Jared Namanny; her great-grandchildren, Katelyn, Corey, Shawn, Joann, Josey and Alaina Kelly, Shyanne, Shelby, Dylan, Layla and Kallie Soper and Zachary and Jessica South; her sisters, Betty (Harry) Knight of Atlantic, Clara Peterson of Atlantic and Alvina Rutheford of Silver City, NM; her brother-in-law, Sonny Cavanaugh of Estherville, IA; her lifelong friend, Wilma Blake of Atlantic; numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

There will be a visitation from 10:00 - 11:30 a.m., Saturday, January 25, 2014, at Hockenberry Family Care in Atlantic.


Following the visitation there will be a graveside service in the Atlantic Cemetery. The family will greet friends for lunch at Hockenberry Family Care after the committal service.