Florence Caroline Petersen

Florence was born in Chicago, Illinois to Bessie and Vincent Kaper. She attended Downers Grove High School, where she met the love of her life, Roland G. (Pete) Petersen. They were married in 1947. After Pete's U.S. Navy posting in Florida, they made their first home in Westmont, IL, where they welcomed two children, Mark and Jill. In 1962, the family moved to their "Heaven on Earth" in Boulder, and bought a house on Grape Avenue. Florence lived there for the next 62 years.

Florence was known for her endless energy and determination to finish every task before her. She demonstrated this in how she cared for her family, and her careers outside of the home. Florence began working at the University of Colorado in 1964. After a short stint in the Budget Office, she settled in at the College of Civil and Environmental Engineering where she rose to the position of administrative assistant until her retirement in 1989. Thereafter, she traveled the world with Pete, until his death in 1994. She briefly returned to work at a bank, and then had a second career at Boulder County Aging Services (now Area Agency on Aging). She also volunteered for Meals on Wheels. She was well into her 80's when she finally decided it was time to really retire, in 2007.

Friendships were very important to Florence. Until the end, she stayed close to her locker mates from Downers Grove High. She made many more friends at Sacred Heart of Jesus church, in her neighborhood, and at all her workplaces. She especially treasured the friendships she built at CU. For many years after she retired, she enjoyed calls, visits and dinners with professors and students she had worked with in Civil Engineering.

She also had an affinity for any dog that crossed her path, but her true love was Cairn terriers, especially Tigger and Molly, who shared their lives with her for over 30 combined years. They walked many miles together in her neighborhood.

Florence was predeceased by her husband Pete, parents Bessie and Vincent Kaper, and brother Charles Kaper. She is survived by her son Mark Collins Petersen and daughter-in-law Carolyn Collins Petersen (Nederland, CO), daughter Jill C. Petersen (Kenmore, WA), niece Karen Wolf Schramm (Rio Rancho, NM), and grandniece Dawn Wolf (Colorado Springs, CO).

A graveside service will be held at 1:30pm February 21, 2025, at Mountain View Memorial Park in Boulder. The family requests any donations be made as a Tribute Gift in Florence's name to the Humane Society of Boulder Valley.