Grace Joann Petersen

Grace Joanne (Getschman) Petersen passed quietly and peacefully from long-term illness on January 12, 2026. Born in 1951 in Kenosha, Wisconsin, to parents Kathryn (Urbick) Getschman and Ernest Getschman Jr. She was the youngest sister of three girls, Mary Ann and Judy, and she is preceded in death by her younger brother, Ernest, who passed in 1983.

Grace graduated from St. Joseph High School in 1968, and studied elementary education at the University of Wisconsin Parkside, obtaining her degree. She taught in Wisconsin until 1981, when she moved to the Houston area with her then-husband, Dan, in the summer of 1981. She raised her son, Kale, in Katy, Texas where she also taught – she worked at Sundown Elementary and Hutsell Elementary in Katy ISD, and taught at different campuses within the Houston-Galveston Archdiocese school system. Grace never retired - she continued tutoring students until 2018.

Grace loved the world of culinary arts – she enjoyed cooking and eating out with her friends and family. She was the designated caretaker for Beaux Jangles, her granddog, and he always came back a little bit heavier than he arrived when coming to visit. Her son Kale would tell you that she enjoyed decorating for every season and was proud of her collection of celebratory decor, and she also enjoyed decorating her school classrooms.

While she had a very strong and sometimes peppery personality, Grace had a tremendous amount of pride in her family – she was extremely close to her sisters Judy (Greg) and Mary Ann (John), and their husbands. She was very doting of her nephews and nieces. In her senior years, Grace spent her weekends following football and enjoyed winning big at bingo at her assisted living facility. In 2020, Grace’s dream of becoming a grandmother came true and she loved showcasing her grandson’s art, all proudly signed “Waylon" and on display for for the staff and visitors at Sterling Oaks to admire. She loved the fudge occasionally made by her daughter-in-law, Taylor, and was an avid photo texter. If she had your number, she was sharing photos with you.

The family will gather in Kenosha, Wisconsin at a later date.