Lorraine Peterson, 86, died peacefully in her rural Rochester home on July 14, 2016 surrounded by her loving family.

Lorraine was born June 1, 1930, to Minnie and Michael Bannon of Rochester.  She graduated from Rochester Senior High in 1948 after which she held various retail positions in the downtown area. On August 18, 1952, she married George Peterson of rural Rochester at St. Francis Catholic Church and began her cherished lifelong career of raising her children and providing day care for her grandchildren.

Lorraine is preceded in death by her parents, four siblings, one son, and her beloved husband of nearly 64 years.  She is survived by two sisters, Kathleen Hofschulte of Milville, MN and Joan Szuberski of Rochester; three sons – Charles (Vicki), Mark (Caroline), and Christopher (Robbin); four daughters – Danette (Greg), Lory (Mark), Patrice (Lynn), and Joleen; eleven grandchildren, and two great grandchildren. She enjoyed knitting, crocheting, sewing, baking bread, tending her flower gardens and traveling whenever possible.  She loved reading especially history, and had an eclectic passion for music.  She was the guiding light and the rock of the Peterson family. Lorraine was a lifetime member of St. Francis Catholic Church.

A special thank you to her Mayo Clinic pulmonologist, Dr Roberto Benzo and to Natalie Mohammad, APRN, CNP, and all the extraordinary health care professionals of the CTP/PCH program and Mayo Clinic Hospice and her devoted family members who made it possible for her to remain at home ensuring that her final weeks were comfortable and rewarding.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday, July 18, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Francis Catholic Church with Reverend Mark McNea officiating. Visitation will be in River Park Chapel at Macken Funeral Home on Sunday, July 17 from 5 to 7 p.m. and at St. Francis Catholic Church one hour prior to the service on Monday. Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery.