Luyviana Petersen
September 14, 1923 - April 21, 2024
Obituary
Luyviana Gloria (Varilek) Petersen, age 100, died peacefully in her sleep on April 21, 2024, in Billings, Montana.
Luyviana was born on a farm on September 14, 1923, to James and Mary (Turnovec) Varilek in Geddes, South Dakota. Her family included brothers Edward and Elvern, and sister Sharon Steckley. She was known as Lavina by family and friends. At the age of 16, she graduated from Geddes High School.
After completing high school, she worked in a Mitchell café by the Corn Palace where she met several Big Band members. She also had waitress and store clerk jobs in Huron and Brookings. She received her teaching certificate at Eastern State Normal in Madison, and taught in a one-room school house near Elkton.
In 1944, she met Sigrud Petersen by throwing his hat in the street after he made a wisecrack. Later, he asked her to come visit him when he was in the Army Air Corps in Amarillo, Texas. She could only afford a one-way ticket, so they decided to get married.
After the war, they returned to Brookings, South Dakota, where Sigrud studied Engineering at SDSU while Lu did accounting in the bookstore. She also worked for Coast to Coast and sold Cushman scooters to the local farmers.
In 1948, they moved to Pittsburgh, Pa., where Sigrud worked for Westinghouse. They built a house on a small 20-acre farm and had sons Roger and Myron. They had pastures and hay fields with vegetable gardens. She took pride in her flowers while caring for various animals including horses, ducks, chickens, dogs and cats.
She taught Sunday school and was in women's activities at the Lutheran church. During these years she also worked part time at Gimbles and H&R block. Her side activities included card clubs, sewing and crocheting, canning, bowling, doll collecting, and camping. They loved taking their motorhome from coast to coast.
Later in life she became a NASCAR and Pittsburgh Steelers fan. She lived at home for 69 years, before moving to Billings, Montana.
Luyviana was preceded in death by her husband Sigrud, her parents, brothers Ed and Elvern Varilek and her son Myron.
Those grateful for having shared her life include her son Roger and wife Julie, daughter-in-law Dorothy Petersen and children, 2 grandchildren, Kyle, (wife Tiffany) Petersen and Tara, (husband Carlos) Calderon, 2 great grandsons, her sister Sharon Steckley, and numerous nieces and nephews.
A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, May 25th, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. CDT at Geddes Community Methodist Church in Geddes, South Dakota.
She will be laid to rest with Sigrud, in the Black Hills National Cemetery.
Please no Flowers are requested
Donations can be sent to:
Angel Horses Inc.
PO Box 20797 Billings, MT 59104
angelhorsesmt.org