Karen Zoe Petersen was born on August 9, 1938 in Marshalltown, Iowa, and grew up working on their farm with her family. After high school she attended Northern Iowa University where she studied education. When attending an event at her home church she met Arnold “Arnie” Petersen, and they were married on May 1, 1957. Soon after the wedding, Karen became a full-time army spouse. She always said she tried out her cooking skills on Arnie and he loved all of it! After four years of military life, she began working at 3M as an administrative assistant in St. Paul, Minnesota.
In 1967, Arnold and Karen were called into full time church ministry. They spent the next 50 years serving in multiple churches across the United States. She was a beautiful, talented pianist and she helped Arnie build church music ministries that glorified the Lord and taught the choirs and congregations to praise and worship God through music. She shared that love of music with her family, especially her children and grandchildren and encouraged the love of music to each one of them.
Outside of music and ministry, Karen loved sports. She looked forward every year to the college Final Four basketball tournament. Her grandkids would make a Final Four Bracket poster large enough for her to read and she took great pleasure in filling it out as she watched every game.
Karen or “Grammy” was her name to all of her family. She loved them and centered her life around being a wife, mom, grandmother, and a Christian. She loved the Lord with all her heart and shared that with anyone she could. Karen Zoe, mom and grammy is loved so much and will be greatly missed.
Karen entered eternal life with her Lord and Savior on Tuesday April 16, 2025, and she was surrounded by loving family. She is proceeded in death by her parents, Forrest Mullenix and Francis Mullenix, and her son Dale Petersen.
She leaves behind her loving husband of 69 years, Arnold (Arnie) Petersen, son, Jeff Petersen and wife Susan of Cypress; Grandson, Connor and Cherry Petersen; Daughter, Jana Petersen of Conroe; Granddaughters, Brittany and Morgan Sloan; Katie and Zach Collier; Great grandchildren, Carter and Charlotte Sloan; and Savannah and Kennedy Collier.
Family graveside services will be held Thursday, April 24, 2025, at 10:00am in Garden Park Cemetery with Chaplain Thomas Ramey officiating.
