Diane Petersen

Mary “Diane” (Short) Petersen, 73, of Oxford Junction, Iowa, passed away peacefully on Sunday, June 22, 2025, at her home surrounded by loved ones following a brief illness.

Diane was born on August 31, 1951, to Gordon “Rex” Short and Mary Louise (Short) Fisher in Bloomfield, Iowa. As a child, she loved playing outside, helping her father with milk cows, gardening, sewing, cooking, and spending time with family on their farm located outside Milton, Iowa. Her love for others began in these early years and blossomed into a beautiful love for life and people.

Following her graduation from Fox Valley High School, she attended Iowa State University, graduating in 1973 with a major in Family and Consumer Science. It was during her time at Iowa State that she met and fell in love with her husband of 51 years, Merle Gene Petersen. The two moved briefly to the Kansas City, Missouri area before relocating to Eastern Iowa where they would spend nearly 50 years as active community members.  

Diane was a light. She lived her life for others, often lending one of her considerable skills to causes. She could do it all! From gardening, to sewing, to teaching kids how to swim, to whipping up a pie in 20 minutes, to hitting a baseball in the front yard, to organizing 30 plus family members for an event in the span of one morning, to dressing chickens, she was a true force. In her role as an educator, she dedicated over 30 years to teaching and oversaw the transition of an area of expertise from Family and Consumer Sciences to Home Economics. She ran a tight ship in her classroom and made students re-wash dishes if the soap wasn’t plentiful and the water wasn’t hot!

Though she carried many titles over the years, her favorites were those of mom and grandma. She lived for family gatherings, bonfires, boat rides at sunset, and any opportunity for loved ones to get together. While she had five of her own children, she was a mother figure to countless people over the years, opening her home, her heart, and her love to anyone who needed it.

In recent years, she spent her summer months up North on the Chippewa Flowage where she became a fixture at the Siskos Resort. Diane organized events for the campground and was the heart of the camping community. In 2024, she found a new love in kayaking and looked forward to spending more time on the water this summer. A close second to her love for family was her love for a boat ride at sunset. We like to imagine her this way – beach towel wrapped around her waist, wavy hair, and a huge smile on her face as she looked out over the golden waves.

Those left to continue her legacy are her beloved husband, Merle Petersen of Oxford Junction, Iowa; daughter Katie Glasgow (Jeff) of Polk City, Iowa; Jacob (Becky) Petersen of Lost Nation, Iowa; Caleb (Kristin) Petersen of Maquoketa, Iowa; Chelsea Petersen and Jamaica Cannon of St. Louis, Missouri; Alex Petersen and Nik Fernholz of River Falls, Wisconsin; 11 grandchildren, 2 great grandchildren, two siblings, and countless family members and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Rex and Mary Louise, and brother, David.

A celebration of Diane’s life will be held on Wednesday, June 25, from 4-7 p.m. at the Calkins Barn in Wyoming, Iowa. Formal services are Thursday, June 26, at 10:00 am at Saint Mark’s Lutheran Church in Oxford Junction, Iowa. Burial will be at the Smithtown Cemetery, rural Lost Nation. 

Dawson Funeral Services of Wyoming is caring for arrangements. Online condolences may be shared at www.dawsonfuneral.com.

Cards and sympathy may be mailed to: Dawson Funeral Services Attn: Diane Petersen Family Po Box 258 Wyoming, Iowa 52362. 

Memorials may be directed to Jackson County Hospice or the Ecumenical Jackson County School Supplies Project in her honor. 

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.