Near Laytonville, California, Betty Sera Marrie Petersen was born to Henry and Mary Miller in 1926, the fifth of six children. They owned a 1000-acre working cattle ranch that raised all their food. Betty left home near the end of World War II and traveled across the country to Florida and back.
She eventually settled in Santa Rosa, California where she married Pete (Harold) Petersen, the son of a prominent dairy rancher. Pete tragically passed away in 1968. Betty is survived by her daughters Deborah Petersen-Hartouni (Ed) and Linda Pinkham (Daniel), three grandchildren, Joshua Pinkham and Stephanie Hartouni, and Gordon Pinkham (step-grandson). She leaves behind five great-grandchildren, Ashley, Garrett, Isaac, Cody and Isabella.
Betty loved to garden and grew not only enough vegetables for her and her family for the year, but also loved to raise orchids, fuchsias, pelargoniums, and succulents. She always had felines around, both domestic and ferals, which she fed and neutered.
Her generous heart will be missed by every being whose life she touched.