Marietta Petersen

Marietta Antonia Venz was born January 30, 1936, the daughter of Herman Carl and Wilhelmina Antonia Martha (Thiem) Venz in Ionia, Iowa, at her great-aunt, Antonia Mueske's house and passed away Wednesday, May 21, 2014, at her home in Marne, Iowa.

She spent most of her growing up years at Old Bradford, in the vicinity of the Little Brown Church of Nashua, Iowa. She went to the Bradford #1 rural school, graduated from the Nashua High School and attended Wartburg College. Later, she moved to Des Moines and worked as a bookkeeper at United Federal Saving and Loan and the Colonial Baking Company.

Marietta and Thomas Edward Petersen were introduced to each other by a mutual friend and on April 23, 1972, Marietta and Tom were married at Zion Lutheran Church in Atlantic, Iowa.

Both Thomas and Marietta lived the rest of their lives on the Petersen family farm west of Marne on Highway 83. Whenever the farming chores were caught up, Tom and Marietta enjoyed spending the afternoon fishing in the pond on the farm.

Marietta was very independent and enjoyed flying to Minnesota to visit her cousin Alvina's family, especially at Christmas time. She enjoyed flower gardening, bird watching, quilting and playing hand bells at church. Marietta loved having children and animals around. She was a member of Zion Lutheran Church, the Walnut and Cass County Genealogical Societies and was a regular at the Senior Citizens Center.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Thomas Petersen, and her parents, Carl and Minnie Venz.

Marietta is survived by many extended family and friends.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, May 30, 2014, followed by lunch in the church fellowship hall, both at Zion Lutheran Church in Atlantic, Iowa. Burial will follow at 1:30 p.m. in the Brighton Township Cemetery in Marne.

Memorials may be made to Zion Lutheran Church or the Atlantic Senior Citizens Center.