Jo Anne Petersen

Jo Anne Petersen passed away July 25, 2022, at Walnut Ridge Senior Living Community in Clive, IA.

Jo was born on the family farm in Lincoln Township, Cass County, Iowa, to Howard S. and Phyllis J. (Steele) Gissibl. She attended Anita High School and graduated with the class of 1949. She then attended Iowa State Teachers College and taught elementary school for two years.

On May 6, 1951, she married Chris A. Petersen in the Anita Methodist Church and they spent several years relocating to various Air Force Bases before settling in Norwalk in 1956, where Jo lived until 2014, when she moved to Walnut Ridge.

Jo was a member of the Norwalk United Methodist Church and participated in many church activities prior to moving to Walnut Ridge. She was a lifelong lover of animals and birds and had a collection of over 600 bird ornaments from around the world that she used to decorate her Christmas trees.

Jo is survived by her sons, Lyle (Cindy) Petersen, and Paul (Tiffany) Petersen and many loving friends and extended family. She was preceded in death by her husband of 60 years, her parents, a sister Pauline Harris (Byron), brother’s-in-law George Petersen (Miriam), and Harold Petersen (Clara) and niece Susan Smith.

A public visitation will be at 9:00 a.m. with funeral services at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 30, at the Norwalk United Methodist Church. Interment will take place immediately after the service in the Norwalk Cemetery.

The family would like to thank the staff at Walnut Ridge for the loving care they provided Jo during her 8 and 1/2 years as a resident, particularly her final days. Their grace and kindness will always be remembered.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Norwalk United Methodist Church in Jo’s memory.

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