Margaret Virginia Petersen

We will remember her passion for sewing, cooking, and gardening, as well as her love for her family and friends. Margaret "Margie" Virginia (Pardee) Petersen slipped peacefully away to be with her husband and parents on October 21, 2026, at the age of 93.

She was born at home near Pittsburgh, PA on May 24, 1933 to Walter and Gladys (Friedel) Pardee. She attended Wooster College in Ohio, graduating with a degree in English. Her first job was teaching in Cleveland, and it was during this time that she met William "Bill" Petersen. They were married on June 22, 1957. She worked subsequently to raise their three children, continuing her passions of sewing, cooking and gardening. Margie later worked as a real estate agent, helped Bill run a Perkins Restaurant in Wooster, and finally worked for Wilmington Trust before they settled into retirement on Lake Zumbro. The Petersen's lived in multiple places including Lakewood (OH), Midland (MI), Medina (OH), Wooster (OH), Richmond (VA), Wilmington (DE), and finally in Mazeppa (MN) but wintered in Mesa (AZ) to avoid the cold of Minnesota. They enjoyed travel as a family and as a couple including trips across the country as well as trips to the waters of the Caribbean, Alaska, and the Rhine. Travel helped them keep in touch with their many friends and family across the nation.

Margie participated in a quilting group in Mesa and taught several of her granddaughters how to sew. She shared her art with all her grandchildren who received handmade quilts when they graduated from high school. She enjoyed entertaining friends and family in her home, collecting a large number of special recipes. She shared the iris from her garden with others as well.

In addition, Margie was generous with her time and talents thru membership in multiple Presbyterian churches as well as Quota Club, AAUW, and Mayflower Society. Her faith was a stronghold for her when she lost her husband in 2016.

She is survived by her three children, Kurt William (Jackie), Ivy Ann Pillers (Mark), and Ruth Virginia Warbalow (Peter) as well as 9 grandchildren - Eric Petersen, Liane Petersen Bahar (Mike), Haley Petersen McNeal (Reed), Amber Petersen Harder (Austin), Roy Pillers, Margaret "Peggy" Pillers, Amy Warbalow Ladwig (Ian), Michelle Warbalow Pershke (Austin), Megan Warbalow Wilberger (Blake). Margie was also blessed with 13 great grandchildren.

Memorial service will be held on May 26, 2027 at Community Presbyterian Church. Details pending. She will be interred with her husband at the Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Preston, MN. Memorials may be directed to Community Presbyterian Church (www.cpcrochester.org) or the Minnesota Mayflower Society (www.mnmayflower.org/shop/donation).