Caroline Louise (Wahl) Peterson died March 10, 2020 in Clay Center. She was born on the family farm near Gorham, Kan. on Sept. 6, 1934. She was the youngest of six children and enjoyed a great childhood of being spoiled!
Caroline was valedictorian of her class and graduated from Gorham Rural High School in 1952. She then studied at K-State, earning a degree in home economics education in 1956.
Caroline faithfully attended church at First Lutheran in Manhattan, where she met Don Peterson, also a K-State student. They were good supporters of the Lutheran Student Association, which met every Sunday evening for a light meal. They both ran for president of LSA and Don won.
Don was in ROTC and became an Air Force officer in July 1955. Don and Caroline were married April 23, 1956 in Danforth Chapel on the K-State campus.
After Caroline completed her degree, she joined Don at Vance AFB in Enid, Okla., beginning a marriage of something new every day, with many moves due to Don’s 26-year military career. Caroline was an active member of the Air Force Officers Wives Association, mentoring wives who were new to the military world.
The couple bought their first land in 1968 when Don was stationed at RAF Alconbury in England. After Don’s retirement, Caroline was active in the farming and ranching operation with her husband. The couple won the Washington County Soil Conservation Award in 1988 and Caroline was a member of the Natural Resource Conservation Service committee.
Caroline, a lifelong Lutheran, enjoyed daily devotionals as well as attending church to hear the pastor’s message and the beautiful music. She was an organist and pianist and taught piano lessons at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Palmer to ensure that the church would always have music.
She was an avid book reader and also enjoyed multiple magazine subscriptions to stay abreast of current affairs.
Don and Caroline were blessed with four children: Ann (Tracy) Caine of Oklahoma City, Okla.; Charles (Margaret) Peterson of Lawrence, Kan.; Cynthia (Johnny) Guest of Florence, S.C., and Debra (Ron) Peterson of Overland Park, Kan.
Caroline was preceded in death by Don, who died in 1995, and her parents and four brothers. She is survived by her four children, eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren, as well as her sister, Norma Strecker of Galatia, Kan.
Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m., Saturday, March 21, 2020 at the Chaput-Buoy Funeral Home, Concordia, Kansas with Pastor Nile Buch officiating. A private family burial will take place on the family farm next to her husband. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be made to Caroline L. Peterson Memorial Fund in care of Chaput-Buoy Funeral Home, PO Box 606, Concordia, Kansas 66901. There will be no visitation